London stopped short of suspending the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol, which requires checks on goods crossing over from mainland Britain. But Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Parliament that while the U.K. had negotiated the protocol “in good faith”, its real-world application by the EU had entailed “considerable and continuing burdens”. Rather than ad-hoc grace periods for border checks, Mr. Lewis said the U.K. was seeking a “standstill period” for the protocol, including legal action by the EU. Northern Ireland, which suffered three decades of sectarian conflict until a peace agreement in 1998, has been rocked by violence this year, in part against the protocol. Frustrated at the new red tape since the U.K. left the EU fully at the start of this year, several U.K. companies have already suspended sales to Northern Ireland, or are offering a reduced choice.

Source: The Hindu July 21, 2021 16:30 UTC