The European Union has agreed to the UK’s request for a three-month delay to a ban on chilled meat products from Great Britain being sold in Northern Ireland. The new arrangements mean that the ban will be postponed until at least 30 September, although there is no clarity yet on what will happen after.
Cabinet Minister Lord Frost said:
“We are pleased we have been able to agree a sensible extension on chilled meats moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland – one that does not require rules in the rest of the UK to align with future changes in EU agrifood rules.
This is a positive first step, but we still need to agree a permanent solution – Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and its consumers should be able to enjoy products they have bought from Great Britain for years.
This is a very clear sign that the Protocol has to be operated in a pragmatic and proportionate way. The chilled meats issue is only one of a very large number of problems with the way the Protocol is currently operating, and solutions need to be found with the EU to ensure it delivers on its original aims: to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, safeguard Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom, and protect the EU’s single market for goods. We look to work energetically with the EU to do so.”
Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s co-chair of the Joint Committee, said:
“Our work is about ensuring that the hard-earned gains of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement – peace and stability in Northern Ireland – are protected, while avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and maintaining the integrity of the EU Single Market. Therefore, we have spared no effort in trying to mitigate some of the challenges that have arisen in the implementation of the Protocol. Today’s package of practical solutions clearly demonstrates that we are firm on implementation but continue to work hard for the benefit of the people in Northern Ireland.”