The British government has a bill on Wednesday presented that undermines parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. With this the British would violate international law. With the announcement, tensions between London and Brussels are further increasing at a time when the relationship has already cooled. Negotiations between both parties about a trade agreement have been deadlocked for months.
The government led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson already admitted on Tuesday that the bill would violate international law in a “very specific and limited” way. The proposal explains how the British intend to trade within the UK after Brexit and, if passed, would give London the power to overrule parts of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.
This protocol was drawn up last year by the EU and the UK to avoid a hard border on the Irish island. At the time, Johnson called the deal “very good” and “oven-ready”. With the new bill, Johnson returns to those words.
The British Prime Minister told the British House of Commons on Wednesday that the proposal is a “safety net for the UK against extreme or irrational interpretations” of the Northern Ireland protocol. The bill would be necessary to avoid “harmful” import tariffs on goods going to Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
The announcement of the law has already triggered quite a bit. So reported Financial Times Tuesday that a key Johnson legal counsel has resigned over plans to violate international law.
There was also criticism from both Europe and Johnson’s own party. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, for example, said he was “deeply concerned” about the proposal, calling the trust between the parties “fundamental”.
The EU does not intend to leave the negotiating table for this, three sources tell Reuters news agency. “The talks continue, but will be tense,” says one of the sources. “Michel Barnier (the top negotiator on behalf of the EU, ed.) Presents himself as the one who wants a deal, which will hold the UK responsible for this hassle,” said another.
Throwing mud in negotiations on a trade agreement
The two sides have been negotiating a trade deal since Britain’s exit in January, but with little success so far. The top European negotiator Michel Barnier has long criticized the attitude and lack of flexibility of the British, while his British counterpart is throwing just as much mud towards Brussels.
The time is now running out to reach an agreement, because the British will close the door to the internal market for good on 1 January. If it is not possible to reach an agreement before then, action will have to be taken on the basis of the rules of the World Trade Organization; a way of trading that offers few benefits to either party.
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