Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has accused the EU of putting peace in Northern Ireland at risk to try and “salvage” its slow Covid vaccine rollout.
Gove told MPs today Brussels “owes its member states is a fuller explanation about why it acted in the way it did” and that the EU’s quickly rescinded call to jeopardise the Belfast peace agreement had dented trust in Northern Ireland.
Read more: UK exports via sea to EU down 68 per cent since end of Brexit transition
The European Commission triggered Article 16 of the Brexit treaty’s Northern Ireland Protocol two weeks ago, which effectively suspends the free movement of goods and people on the island of Ireland – a violation of the Good Friday peace agreement.
The Commission quickly retracted its decision and recognised it had made a mistake, after the move caused international backlash.
The decision to trigger Article 16 came during a row over vaccine supplies from AstraZeneca’s UK manufacturing base.
Gove told Westminster’s European Scrutiny Committee that the European Commission had rode “roughshod” over member states by acting unilaterally in triggering Article 16.
“More than that, Article 16 exists in order to protect the people of Northern Ireland,” he said.
“It is not there in order to make sure the EU’s own vaccine procurement programme can be salvaged in whatever way by taking this sort of action.”
He added: “One thing the Commission probably owes its member states is a fuller explanation about why it acted in the way it did. Whatever its reasons, the consequences were undoubtedly damaging for he smooth operation of the protocol and they had…an adverse impact on trust in Northern Ireland.”
It comes after Gove last week asked the European Commission vice president Marcos Sefcovic or no additional checks on goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland until 2023, after concerns at the border since 1 January.
The Brexit withdrawal agreement sees Northern Ireland remain in the EU’s single market and follow its customs union’s rules, unlike the rest of the UK.
This means there are checks on some goods goods going between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and a so-called border in the Irish sea ,wit exporters forced to fill in customs declaration forms.
This has infuriated Northern Irish unionists who claim the new protocol is driving a wedge between them and the rest of the UK.
Read more: EU unhappy with ‘tone’ of Michael Gove letter over NI-GB border issues
Customs officers in Northern Ireland have already faced death threats, forcing a temporary stop to checks last week.
Gove called for “political solutions” to ensure the smooth transport of chilled meats, mail and medicines between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Recent Comments