About: Northern Ireland border
UK resumes sabre rattling with EU, threatens to suspend NI protocol
Brexit minister Liz Truss on Sunday (9 January) resumed the UK government’s sabre rattling with Brussels, warning that she was prepared to suspend the Northern Ireland protocol, and potentially collapse the UK’s trade pact with the EU.
David Frost leaves: Christmas comes early in Brussels
What was behind the resignation of David Frost as UK “Brexit Minister”, and would it be enough to halt the declining UK-EU relations? Dick Roche shares his thoughts. Dick Roche is a former Irish Minister for European Affairs and former...
EU to propose easing medicines flow from Britain to Northern Ireland
The European Commission is due to set out on Friday (17 December) legal changes to ease the transport of medicines from Britain to Northern Ireland, a move that could relieve EU-UK tensions over the British province's future after Brexit.
EU nationals in Ireland to face travel clearance at border under new law
EU citizens living in the Republic of Ireland will have to apply online for pre-travel clearance from the UK in order to cross into Northern Ireland under proposed new British immigration laws which moved closer to adoption this week.
EU urges ‘big move’ from Britain to break post-Brexit stalemate
European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič urged Britain on Sunday (21 November) to make a "big move" to break months of deadlock over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland that has threatened a trade war.
EU and UK edge towards N. Ireland protocol deal as rhetoric softens
The UK and the European Union appear to be edging closer to a compromise on the Northern Ireland protocol, after a week of softening rhetoric from both sides.
EU to unveil measures to ease British goods flow to Northern Ireland
The European Commission will on Wednesday (13 October) put to Britain a package of measures to ease the transit of goods to Northern Ireland, while stopping short of the overhaul London is demanding of post-Brexit trading rules for the province.
Protocol row reopens Unionist fears of another Northern Ireland sell–out
Sell–out, betrayal and sacrifice are all key words in the lexicon of Northern Irish politics for both the nationalist and unionist communities, and those in between. Brexit, and the Northern Ireland protocol, in particular, have brought them back into popular use.
Stop the poison, UK’s Frost tells the EU over post-Brexit deal
British Brexit minister David Frost made an impassioned plea to the European Union on Tuesday (12 October) to allow for "significant change" to post-Brexit rules governing trade with Northern Ireland, saying only that could draw the poison from their relations.
EU will go to ‘enormous lengths’ on Irish protocol, says Sefcovic
The European Union will table new proposals for the Northern Ireland Protocol next week, European Commission Vice President Maros Šefčovič said on Thursday (7 October).
UK close to suspending Irish protocol, warns Brexit minister
The UK is moving closer to suspending the Irish protocol, which keeps Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market for goods, in its Brexit agreement, Brexit minister David Frost warned on Monday (4 October).
Unionist parties back joint declaration to scrap Irish protocol
The four main unionist parties in Northern Ireland have formed an alliance to scrap the Irish protocol, agreed by the EU and the UK to maintain a smooth flow of goods on the island, as the UK government steps up its attempts to renegotiate it.
UK announces new delays to Irish goods checks
The UK government has set out plans to delay border checks on goods until January 2022, as it intensifies its attempts to push the European Commission towards renegotiating the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol.
Little progress, little time left to resolve Irish customs row, warns UK minister
Little progress is being made towards breaking the impasse with the EU on the customs procedures for goods travelling to Northern Ireland and time is running out, the UK's Brexit minister David Frost admitted on Wednesday (16 June), adding that London was "keeping all options open".
UK’s sausage row with EU goes from bad to wurst
UK anger with Europe sizzled on Sunday (13 June) after a sausage-themed dispute between the British and French leaders over post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland.
UK underestimated impact of Northern Ireland Protocol, concedes Frost
The UK government underestimated the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Brexit minister David Frost conceded on Monday (17 May), as he warned UK lawmakers that talks with EU officials had failed to break an impasse on the implementation of border checks.
Northern Ireland marks 100 years, divided
Northern Ireland marks its 100th year on Monday (3 May), but faltering efforts to commemorate the centenary encapsulate the rift at the heart of the British province.
MEPs lament ‘lose-lose’ situation as EU Parliament votes Brexit trade pact
The bruises left by the Brexit process were evident on Tuesday (27 April) even as EU lawmakers endorsed the trade deal that now governs economic relations between the UK and EU, almost five years after the UK voted to leave the bloc.
UK PM Johnson says deeply concerned by Northern Ireland violence
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was deeply concerned by scenes of violence in Northern Ireland after crowds of youths in a pro-British area of Belfast set a hijacked bus on fire and attacked police with stones.
New Brexit row after UK extends exemption to Irish border checks
The European Union has accused the UK government of breaking international law after it moved to unilaterally extend grace periods for Irish Sea border checks.
EU-UK to debate extensions for Irish customs waiver
EU and UK officials will discuss on Wednesday (24 February) the possibility of extending the ‘grace periods’ that exempt goods crossing the Irish Sea border from new customs checks introduced by the new trade arrangement.
Commission right to call London’s bluff
The UK Government has been shamelessly using the Commission’s gaffe about Article 16 of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol in its attempts to avoid the blame for post-Brexit problems and to lever additional concessions from Brussels, writes Dick Roche.
The Article 16 row is liable to happen again unless lessons are learned
The row over the European Commission's short-lived plan to use the Northern Ireland Protocol to stop exports of COVID-19 vaccines is over for now. But it could easily flare up again, writes John Bruton.