Brussels has given Boris Johnson three weeks to drop plans to break international law, or the UK will face financial or trade sanctions
EU Chief negotiator Michel Barnier, centre, arrives for a meeting at Westminster Conference Centre in London, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. UK and EU officials have their eighth round of Brexit negotiations in London.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the age-old diplomatic cornerstone of “agreements must be kept” was “the foundation of prosperous future relations.” The withdrawal agreement includes measures to ensure there are no barriers to trade or travel between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and EU member Ireland. To do that, Britain has agreed that Northern Ireland will continue to follow some EU rules even after the rest of the UK goes it is own way. That means there will be checks and tariffs on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, with Britain and the EU jointly deciding what goods they apply to.
Opposition parties and EU officials were astonished when Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis acknowledged in Parliament on Tuesday that the legislation “does break international law in a very specific and limited way.”“The withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation and that we expect that the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement will be fully respected,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said.
EU and UK trade negotiators are meeting in London this week, with both sides gloomy about a breakthrough on the key differences: competition rules and fishing rights. Johnson has said Britain will walk away if there is no agreement by Oct. 15.
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