UK Gov't: EU Unwilling To Change NI Protocol So We Must Act

UK gov't spox gives statement on gov't response to EU Commission's stance on the recently-introduced Northern Ireland protocol bill.

• "It is disappointing that the EU has chosen to relaunch legal proceedings relating to the grace periods currently in place, which are vital to stop the problems caused be the protocol from getting worse. The UK's preference remains for a negotiated solution but the proposals set out be the EU today are the same proposals we have been discussing for months and would not solve the problems - in many cases they take us backwards from current arrangements.
• The Protocol is undermining the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement - disrupting trade and leading to people in Northern Ireland being treated differently to the rest of the UK. The EU continues to insist it is unwilling to change the protocol itself , so we are obliged to act ourselves to change the parts of the protocol that are causing problems. The legislation we introduced this week delivers practical, reasonable solutions which also protect the EU single market and support North-South trade."