Britain pans EU’s ‘purist approach’ to sausage sales in Northern Ireland
Downing Street urged Brussels to show ‘pragmatism’ ahead of fresh talks over implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Wednesday.
Britain has accused the EU of adopting a “purist” approach to the Brexit withdrawal deal in Northern Ireland amid warnings that sales of sausages from the rest of the UK could be blocked.
Ahead of fresh talks on Wednesday to try to resolve the continuing differences over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the agreement, Downing Street urged Brussels to show “common sense and pragmatism”.
The appeal came after European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said the EU would act “swiftly, firmly and resolutely” if the UK tried to backtrack on its obligations under the deal.
While the Prime Minister’s official spokesman refused to be drawn on what steps the Government would take if there was no agreement by that point, he insisted there was no justification for barring chilled meats from Northern Irish shops.
“Any ban would be contrary to the aims of the protocol and the interests of the people of Northern Ireland,” the spokesman said.
“The protocol was a compromise. We didn’t expect the EU to take a purist approach when implementing it. We are working very hard to try to resolve these issues consensually.
“We hope that the EU will show the common sense and pragmatism needed to make progress.”
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen discussed the issues surrounding protocol during a call in anticipation of the G7 Summit in Cornwall this week.
The Prime Minister “underlined the need for quick progress” and reiterated his commitment to “finding practical solutions” to protect the peace process, according to Downing Street.
The European Commission president expressed her “deep concern” over the implementation of post-Brexit agreements to Mr Johnson and plans to talk further with him at the margins of the summit.
Earlier in the day, Environment Secretary George Eustice dismissed the idea of controls on the movement of chilled meats between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland as “bonkers”.
“I think that’s a nonsense. I think we’ve got a very good sausage industry in this country, we’ve got the highest standards of food hygiene in the world,” he told LBC.
The deal – intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with the Republic – means that Northern Ireland remains part of the EU single market, which in turn requires checks on some goods coming from Great Britain.
But Mr Sefcovic – who will hold talks with Brexit minister Lord Frost on Wednesday – said there had been “numerous and fundamental gaps” in the UK’s implementation of the agreement.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said that if Britain took further unilateral actions the EU “will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations”.