According to Maros Sefcovic of the EU, border inspections after Brexit on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland might be cut down to “a few of vehicles a day.”
The vice-president of the European Commission, who is in charge of guiding the bloc’s discussions over the conditions for Northern Ireland, said that his proposals would make a trade border “invisible.”
Before the end of the next month, Mr. Sefcovic hopes to break the impasse between Westminster and Brussels over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
After talks on how to repair issues with the Brexit deal saw little progress earlier this year, negotiations between the EU and Britain over the Protocol dispute came to an end.
A angry Brussels has filed a lawsuit in response to the incoming prime minister Liz Truss’ promise to force through new legislation at Westminster that will dismantle portions of the current Protocol.
However, Mr. Sefcovic said that Ms. Truss’s declaration last Wednesday, the day after she replaced Boris Johnson, that her preference was still for a “negotiated settlement,” had “encouraged” him.
The EU has mandated physical customs inspections of goods travelling from the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland as part of the Protocol’s implementation.
The deal basically keeps Northern Ireland in the EU Single Market and is intended to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.
Unionists in Northern Ireland and the UK government have both criticised the “bureaucratic” inspections put in place on goods travelling over the Irish Sea.
The DUP has also refused to re-join a Northern Ireland power-sharing administration unless the Protocol, which they claim jeopardises Northern Ireland’s membership in the UK, is changed.
According to Mr. Sefcovic, if the UK provided real-time trade data, the commercial border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland would be “invisible” under European Commission plans.
When the items are loaded onto the boat from Britain, “If the data are downloaded into the system.” . . I think we can process them remotely while we’re going to Northern Ireland,” he added.
Physical inspections will only be made, Mr. Sefcovic said, “where there is reasonable suspicion of.” . . Smuggling in illicit goods, narcotics, hazardous toys, or contaminated food.
He stated that generally, “a couple of trucks a day” would be involved.
According to the newspaper, one EU source said there was no difference between Brussels’ offer of “minimal inspections, done in an undetectable way” and the UK desire for “no checks.”
Unless a new power-sharing government can be established by October 28th, fresh elections are scheduled for Northern Ireland.
We are prepared to work in an open, constructive, and diligent manner, Mr. Sefcovic said.
Because I am well aware of the dates that will be arriving by the end of October, I would also want to work around the strict deadlines.
According to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, head of the DUP, “the likelihood of resumed discussions” about the Protocol between the UK and EU exists.
I believe the EU would need to modify its position on that, he added.
They must understand that in order for us to find a solution, they must respect the integrity of the UK, its internal market, and Northern Ireland’s position within it.