{"id":23331,"date":"2021-10-04T09:01:36","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23331"},"modified":"2021-10-04T09:01:45","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:01:45","slug":"frost-issues-warning-that-uk-may-suspend-parts-of-ni-protocol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23331","title":{"rendered":"Frost Issues Warning That UK May Suspend Parts Of NI Protocol"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Lord David Frost (PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The UK \u201ccannot wait forever\u201d for Brussels to respond to demands to change Northern Ireland\u2019s Brexit deal, Lord Frost said as he issued a fresh warning he might suspend parts of the arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his speech to the Conservative Party conference, the UK’s Brexit minister said there would be \u201csome rough waters\u201d as a result of leaving the EU \u201cbut we will choose for ourselves how to steer our ship\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main issue of contention with the European Union is the Northern Ireland Protocol, the package of measures aimed at avoiding a hard border between the North and the Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The arrangements effectively keep Northern Ireland in the EU\u2019s single market for goods, but as a result have put a trade barrier for products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peer, who negotiated the deal including the protocol which was signed by Boris Johnson, said he worried that Brussels would not grant the concessions he was seeking to maintain cross-Irish Sea trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Frost said he would soon share legal texts with Brussels setting out how the UK intends to resolve the issue \u2014 and could unilaterally suspend some of the current arrangements under Article 16 of the treaty if the EU does not respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI set out in July a set of proposals that would establish a new balance for a lasting future \u2014 and I will soon be sending a new set of legal texts to the EU to support them,\u201d he told Tories gathered in Manchester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe await a formal response from the EU to our proposals. But, from what I hear, I worry that we will not get one which enables the significant change we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I urge the EU to be ambitious. It\u2019s no use tinkering around the edges. We need significant change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we can agree something better, we can get back to where we wanted to be \u2013 an independent Britain with friendly relations with the EU based on free trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut we cannot wait forever. Without an agreed solution soon, we will need to act, using the Article 16 safeguard mechanism, to address the impact the protocol is having on Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat may in the end be the only way to protect our country \u2013 our people, our trade, our territorial integrity, the peace process, and the benefits of this great UK of which we are all part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>