The European Commission had warned. After the launch of a unilateral revision of the post-Brexit status of Northern Ireland, the European executive announced, on Wednesday June 15, the launch against London of two new procedures for non-compliance with goods controls and the recovery a third procedure that could lead to an appeal before the European courts, and therefore to sanctions or financial penalties.
“The purpose of these procedures” is to compel Britain “to comply with Northern Irish protocol”concluded within the framework of the Brexit treaty, explained at a press conference Maros Sefcovic, the commissioner in charge of the post-Brexit agreement. “Acting unilaterally is not constructive. Violating international agreements is not acceptable”he said.
The British government was quick to react to this announcement. “We are disappointed that the EU has launched this legal action”Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman told reporters on Wednesday, defending London’s decision by the failure of negotiations following proposals from Brussels which, according to him, represented “rewinds”.
Protecting the European market
The British government presented its bill to Parliament on Monday, which calls into question the post-Brexit status of Northern Ireland, after having demanded for months a revision of the protocol, which the Europeans refuse, conceding only adjustments .
The protocol aims to protect the single European market after Brexit without causing the return of a physical demarcation between the British province and the Republic of Ireland, a member of the European Union, which could jeopardize the Irish peace agreements .
To resolve this squaring of the circle, the government of Boris Johnson had accepted that Northern Ireland should remain de facto within the European market, establishing a customs border in the Irish Sea, with checks and paperwork. This situation complicates supplies and horrifies the Unionist community, which believes that the place of the province within the United Kingdom is threatened.