UNITED STATES: The White House has once more cautioned that removing the Northern Ireland Protocol would “not create a favorable climate” for US-UK trade negotiations.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for President Joe Biden, warned that such measures would jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement.
The warning was issued when the newly appointed Northern Ireland secretary declared his desire to “reach a settlement” with the EU.
Chris Heaton-Harris assured lawmakers that the government would still pass legislation if this did not take place.
Jean-Pierre stated in a Wednesday interview, “There is no formal linkage on trade talks between the US and the UK and the Northern Ireland Protocol, as we have said, but efforts to undo the Northern Ireland Protocol would not create a conducive environment.”
The protocol is the portion of the Brexit agreement that prevents a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market for goods.
The agreement made it possible for unfettered trade to continue over the delicate Irish land border, resulting from the long history of the war in Northern Ireland.
However, the protocol introduced certain extra checks on products travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which unionist politicians have criticized.
The majority of the politicians who won seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly in May, however, are in favour of the arrangements.
Until its reservations about the protocol are eased, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has declined to rejoin a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
Liz Truss told the Parliament that the Northern Ireland Executive must return during her first full day in office.
Shailesh Vara, a former NI secretary, then questioned Liz Truss on whether the government would proceed with the NI Protocol Bill if it could not secure an agreement with the EU.
“We need to resolve the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol,” she quickly replied. “My preference is for a negotiated solution, but it does have to deliver all the things that we have set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.”
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