UK and EU Policy Proposals

 

May 2020

The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol

This Command Paper outlines how the Protocol can be implemented in a way that would protect the interests of the people and economy of Northern Ireland, ensure the effective working of the UK’s internal market, provide appropriate protection for the EU Single Market and uphold the rights of all Northern Ireland’s citizens.

This paper sets out how we believe the Protocol can be implemented in a flexible, and proportionate way – protecting the interests of both the whole United Kingdom and the EU. Our proposals will deliver unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the whole of the UK market; ensure there are no tariffs on goods remaining within the UK customs territory; discharge our obligations without the need for any new customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland and,finally, guarantee that Northern Ireland businesses benefit from the lower tariffs we deliver through our new Free Trade Agreements with third countries.

December 2020

Northern Ireland Protocol Command Paper

In ‘The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’, the UK Government set out the essential commitments that needed to be respected in all scenarios. This paper details how those commitments have been pursued and fulfilled; and how they will be given effect from 1 January 2021.

July 2021

 

Northern Ireland Protocol: the way forward

It is increasingly clear that we cannot solve the problems simply by a rigid and unpurposive application of the Protocol in its current form. Indeed the difficulties are so profound that I have had to consider whether safeguarding action is necessary under the Article 16 framework which the Protocol provides. My conclusion is that the circumstances in which we find ourselves would justify such an approach. But I also conclude that there is still an opportunity to proceed differently and to agree with the EU a new balance in how the Protocol operates because I believe that there is still political will to address shared problems on all sides. The same sense of responsibility that brought the Protocol into being must be summoned again, in recognition of the fact that it is failing to deliver on what it set out to achieve.


To properly deal with these challenges, in an enduring rather than temporary way, this new balance must deliver significant changes to the existing Protocol. It must ensure that we can fully respect Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom, its customs territory and internal market, while playing our part in respecting the integrity of the EU’s Single Market, and, of course, ensuring that the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland remains without infrastructure or checks.


This paper sets out our proposals.

 

October 2021

 

Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Commission proposes bespoke arrangements to benefit Northern Ireland

The European Commission proposed bespoke arrangements to respond to the difficulties that people in Northern Ireland have been experiencing because of Brexit and challenges in East-West trade, in particular (i.e. Great Britain to Northern Ireland). These arrangements are set out in four non-papers, which the College of Commissioners adopted today:

 

June 2022

Northern Ireland Protocol: the UK’s solution

 

June 2022

Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

UK government introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill into Parliament

The Bill seeks to unilaterally amend parts of the Protocol by disapplying elements of it and providing delegated powers to Ministers to make new law in connection with the Protocol”.

 

June 2022

European Commission launches Infringement Proceedings against the UK in response to the Protocol Bill