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The European Commission has said the UK is in violation of its post-Brexit obligations after unilaterally deciding to continue Irish Sea border grace periods until October.<\/p>\nThe European Commission has said the UK is in violation of its post-Brexit obligations after unilaterally deciding to continue Irish Sea border grace periods until October.<\/p>\n
Britain is set to breach international law for a second time, vice-president Maros Sefcovic warned.<\/p>\n
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney also branded the intervention extending the soft-touch regulatory regime on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain as \u201cdeeply unhelpful\u201d.<\/p>\n
A commission statement on behalf of Mr Sefcovic said: \u201cFollowing the UK government\u2019s statement today, vice-president Sefcovic has expressed the EU\u2019s strong concerns over the UK\u2019s unilateral action, as this amounts to a violation of the relevant substantive provisions of the protocol on Ireland\/Northern Ireland and the good faith obligation under the Withdrawal Agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the second time that the UK government is set to breach international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis also constitutes a clear departure from the constructive approach that has prevailed up until now, thereby undermining both the work of the Joint Committee and the mutual trust necessary for solution-oriented co-operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Northern Ireland Protocol is designed to prevent the imposition of a hard border on the island of Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland following EU trade rules.<\/p>\n
It has caused disruption to some goods travelling from the rest of the UK after suppliers encountered extra red tape.<\/p>\n
Businesses in Northern Ireland have been pressing for an extension to the grace periods to avoid a cliff-edge plunge into extra bureaucracy linked to the protocol.<\/p>\n
As part of their budget announced on Wednesday, the British government has said grace periods like those for supermarket agri-food movements from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland \u201cwill continue\u201d until October.<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said: \u201cAs part of the pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the government is taking several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff edges as engagement with the EU continues through the Joint Committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese recognize that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements, and support the effective flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Lewis added: \u201cFor supermarkets and their suppliers, as part of the operational plan the UK committed to at the UK-EU Joint Committee on February 24th, the current Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) will continue until October 1st.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertification requirements will then be introduced in phases alongside the rollout of the Digital Assistance Scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said further guidance will be provided later this week on parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, to provide necessary additional time for traders beyond April 1st.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuidance will also be set out to help address practical problems on soil attached to the movement of plants, seeds, bulbs, vegetables and agricultural machinery.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first of the grace periods had been due to expire at the end of March.<\/p>\n