EU rules out further Northern Ireland Protocol negotiations

The EU says it has ruled out further negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol after striking a deal on medicine supplies earlier today.

Brexit minister Lord Frost said earlier this year that the European Union would be making a ‘historic misjudgement’ if it wasn’t prepared to make changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, such as the removal of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) oversight.

He has also previously argued that it would be a “significant mistake” to assume the UK would not trigger Article 16 – the part of the Northern Ireland Protocol which permits elements of the deal being temporarily suspended if they are evidenced to be causing “serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade.”

The Protocol was implemented to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the wake of Brexit by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market for goods.

European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic told a press conference in Brussels today that the ECJ’s role was “irreplaceable” as he said there would be no further negotiations.

“It is not in my mandate”, he went on, arguing: “Without the European Court of Justice, you cannot have the access to the single market. It’s as simple as that,” he explained.

He saif that “the topic” of ECJ oversight was “not ready to include in our discussions”.

Sefcovic also announced today that the EU and UK had struck a deal to ease the supply of medicines into Northern Ireland.