Decision to unilaterally extend Northern Ireland Protocol grace period deemed rash

A member of the House of Lords’ in the UK has claimed that the British government was extremely premature in extending the grace period within the Northern Ireland Protocol on a unilateral basis.

“This approach has only served to antagonise the European Commission unnecessarily,” Lord Robin Teverson told Agriland.

I could understand such a decision being taken if trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK was about the grind to a halt. But this was not the case.

Lord Teverson chairs the House of Lords’ EU Environment sub-committee, which reported on a number of post-Brexit trade-related issues earlier this week.

Lord Robin Teverson Image: Facebook

With regard to the ongoing trade relationship between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, the committee highlighted the need for workable arrangements to be found soon for the movement of food and agricultural produce across the Irish Sea.

Members also recognised that the potential impact of delays on Northern Ireland’s consumers – as well as the political implications – could be acute.

The report concludes that all parties should continue to focus on finding solutions so that goods can be moved as smoothly as possible.

Urgency of trade issues

The need for Lord David Frost, who heads up the implementation of the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement on behalf of the UK, to recognise the urgency of the situation for Northern Ireland was also highlighted.

Lord Teverson’s committee is also calling for more vets to be trained-up in the UK.

“Many EU-qualified vets have returned to Europe in the wake of Brexit. Professional veterinarians are required in significant numbers to carry out the sanitary checks built into the new Brexit arrangements,” he explained.

“Given this backdrop, the need to train greater numbers of UK vets is obvious.”

In tandem with this, the House of Lords’ committee is calling on the EU to allow veterinary technicians, as opposed to qualified veterinarians, undertake a greater proportion of the sanitary checks required under the new Brexit trade arrangements.

“But such an approach would require a formal agreement being reached with Brussels,” Lord Teverson admitted.

All-island economy

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD and chairperson of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, Brendan Smith, has stated that it is “absolutely essential” that the all-island economy is protected post-Brexit.

Speaking in the Dáil, deputy Smith commented:

It is absolutely essential the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is implemented in a practical manner and there is partnership with Britain to ensure the difficulties that exist are ironed out in a practical manner.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD added:

“Trade disruption in Northern Ireland means trade disruption throughout all of the island. We need to protect the all-Ireland economy. It is essential the Northern Ireland protocol is dealt with in a practical way and those problems are eliminated.”