MEPs on Monday (10 October) backed legislation allowing the EU to impose sanctions on the UK should London breach the terms of its Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the bloc.
Lawmakers on the European Parliament’s Trade, Foreign Affairs and Constitutional Affairs Committee voted by 75 MEPs voted in favour, none against and six abstentions to adopt proposals by the European Commission that would allow the EU executive to impose restrictions on trade, investment or other activities if the UK was to breach certain agreed trading conditions.
A final plenary vote on the file will take place in November, with lawmakers hoping to finalise the law by early 2023.
The principal disagreement between the EU and the UK has been over the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol, which imposed customs checks on goods travelling from Britain to the island of Ireland.
The UK has refused to implement customs checks, and the Westminster parliament is currently scrutinising a bill that would allow Liz Truss’s government to override the terms of the protocol unilaterally.
The EU began infringement proceedings against the UK over the planned bill, while London has already started its own consultations on the Commission’s block on UK membership of the Horizon Europe research and development programme.
“It goes without saying that we certainly would prefer if trade enforcement mechanisms are not needed. However, with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, the UK Government has shown its willingness to break international law. So, it is necessary to ensure that the EU can protect itself. From an Irish perspective, this Regulation is also essential to protect the all-Ireland economy”, said Seán Kelly, the lead negotiator on the proposals for the Trade Committee.
Last week, Irish and British ministers reopened talks and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached on the protocol that would also allow a new devolved government in Northern Ireland before the end of October. If the October deadline is missed, the UK government will be required to call fresh Assembly elections in Belfast.
MEPs are also anxious to ensure that there is no repeat of the European Commission’s short-lived decision in February 2021 to suspend the protocol due to concerns over COVID-19 vaccine procurement by providing that EU lawmakers have oversight over the suspension and sanctions mechanisms.
“Tonight’s vote signals a solid majority of MEPs are in favour of enforcing of EU-UK trading arrangements under post-Brexit agreements. I hope the UK can be a trusted partner in the future, but it is not surprising that the EU would be wary given past actions by the UK,” Seán Kelly told EURACTIV.
“We need to see clear actions to back up recent positive words from the UK in order to move forward and rebuild the relationship. This is in everyone’s interest,” he added.
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
