European Commission Vice President Maro Sefkovic today urged Britain to reciprocate the EU's efforts to settle post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland after the European bloc proposed legal changes to facilitate the transport of drugs to the British province.
The two sides are in intensive talks to resolve trade difficulties between Britain and Northern Ireland, which shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.
"Today is further evidence of the EU's unwavering commitment to stability and predictability for citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland. "And I call on the British government to reciprocate our efforts," Sefkovic told a news conference after meeting with British Brexit Secretary David Frost.
For his part, Frost today called on the European Union to try to find a solution early next year to the part of the Brexit deal covering trade with Northern Ireland, saying insufficient progress had been made on many issues.
Frost said that "the main point of progress was on the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland", but that there had been "much less progress" on customs and other arrangements for products being transported between Britain and Northern Ireland.
"It is disappointing that it has not been possible to have either a comprehensive or a meaningful interim agreement this year. "A solution urgently needs to be found early next year," he said in a statement.
"For as long as there is no agreement on a solution, we continue to be prepared to use the Article 16 protection mechanism if that is the only way to protect the prosperity and stability of Northern Ireland and its people."
Source: RES-EAP
