LONDON (Reuters) – British Foreign Secretary Liszt said before talks with the European Union that the United Kingdom was ready to take unilateral action to suspend tariffs on goods entering Northern Ireland.
Truss will hold talks with European Union Vice President Maros Shevkov this week to resolve differences over post-Brexit trade deals in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom that borders Ireland.
In order to avoid politically controversial border controls between Ireland and Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the European Union agreed that Northern Ireland would operate effectively within EU customs.
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However, there are inconsistencies in how this is applied in practice – particularly for goods within Northern Ireland – as well as the role of the European Court of Arbitration in the European Union.
“I want a negotiated solution, but if the legal requirements, including Article 16, will apply, I’m ready,” Truss said. Written in the Telegraph.
“The people of Northern Ireland will not benefit as much from the same tax and spending decisions as the rest of the United Kingdom, or I will not sign anything that sees goods being moved within our country.”
The European Union’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Joao Val de Almeida, said on Sunday that the union was “not particularly affected” by the British position on the Sixteenth Amendment. Northern Ireland when there are major business problems or trade transfers.
He told Sky News: “We’ve already heard this from the government, so we’re not surprised, we’re not very impressed, but we still think it’s not effective to continue fighting the 16th division problem.”
“I think we should at least focus on what we’re focused on and try to find solutions.”
In December, Truss was appointed to replace David Frost as the UK’s lead negotiator on Brexit, often raising the possibility of Section 16 being implemented if talks stall. Continue reading
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Reporting by David Milligan; Editing by Paul Simao and Elaine Hurtkostel
Our criteria: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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