BREXIT BRIEF Brexit Brief Issue 112 18 June 2021
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BREXIT BRIEF Brexit Brief Issue 112 18 June 2021 Tony Brown Introduction The Brief seeks to provide up-to-date information on the progress and content of the UK-EU negotiations, and bring together relevant statements and policy positions from key players in Ireland, the UK and the EU. The Brief is part of a wider communications programme covering the work of the IIEA’s UK Project Group – including commentaries, speeches, texts and event reports – which are highlighted on the Institute’s website. (www.iiea.com) Section One: State of Play Advisor to Arlene Foster MLA, Ms Emma Little- Pengally, described Mr Poots determination to The Resignation of Edwin Poots continue with the nomination, as “fatal to his leadership”. In his official statement, Mr Poots On Thursday, 17 June 2021, Edwin Poots described recent events as “a difficult period” MLA announced his resignation as leader of for the Party, as well as for Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Having as a country. just assumed the role 21 days earlier, he will become the shortest serving leader in The meeting of the North-South Ministerial the history of the party. The announcement Council scheduled for Friday, 18 July was came hours after his decision to proceed subsequently postponed. In response to the with the formal nomination of Paul Givan recent developments, Minister for Foreign MLA as First Minister. The majority of the Affairs, Simon Coveney, defended the UK’s DUP parliamentary party urged him to delay guarantee to pass Irish language legislation the nomination amid anger following the UK in Westminster should it not be brought to Government’s commitment to implementing the table in Stormont, which he described as Irish language laws as part of the New the most “appropriate” action. He added that Decade, New Approach deal, which was a the Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis key concession to Sinn Fein. Former Special had done “the right thing”. Given the current BREXIT BRIEF 112 | JUN 2021 BREXIT BRIEF uncertainty within the DUP, it is unclear if Macron, Chancellor Merkel, EU Presidents Paul Givan MLA and Michelle O’Neill MLA Michel and von der Leyen. Little progress will remain on as First Minister and Deputy was reported, with the US and EU arguing for First Minister, respectively. Minister Coveney, practical implementation of the Protocol by the however, cautioned against the idea of a snap UK in line with what was agreed – “keeping election, which he feared could become a their word with the Europeans” - and the UK quasi-referendum on the Protocol on Ireland/ highlighting the impact of the protocol on daily Northern Ireland (the Protocol). life in Northern Ireland and the “territorial integrity of the United Kingdom”. The UK also Brexit at the G7 Summit made clear its preparedness to take unilateral steps to delay full implementation. The leaders of the G7, and powerful guests, gathered in Cornwall’s Carbis Bay to discuss Following reported remarks by President and decide on an agenda including deepening Macron, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said cooperation between the world’s democracies the EU needs to stop being so ‘bloody-minded’ in tackling the challenges of achieving global over Brexit and commented on having “serially COVID-19 vaccination and fighting climate seen senior EU figures talk about Northern change and biodiversity loss. There were Ireland as if it was some kind of different other major issues such as a new G7 China country to the UK”. “It is not only offensive, it Strategy but what was described as “one, has real world effects on the communities in narrow, familiar and highly dangerous issue” Northern Ireland, creates great concern, great was distracting from the significant progress consternation”, he went on. elsewhere – Brexit. Commenting on the reports from Cornwall In the weeks leading up to the G7 gathering the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said that the the controversy surrounding the Protocol controversy “really is about the fact that an on Ireland/Northern Ireland was increasing agreement had been entered into, not too long in volume and interpersonal disputation. ago, signed off by the British Government with Trust between EU and UK appeared low with the European Union”. “If there’s consistent, comment and invective from politicians – and unilateral deviation from that agreement that some more marginal voices – in London, clearly undermines the broader relationship Belfast, Portadown, Dublin, Brussels, Paris and between the EU and the UK which is in Washington DC. From Washington, the Biden nobody’s interest and therefore that’s why the administration sent a warning about “inflaming UK with the EU have to work very hard now in tensions” in Ireland and the European Union. the coming weeks”, he added. At Carbis Bay, Brexit and the Protocol became He further remarked that “we’ve never seen the subject of a series of early morning the Protocol as a constitutional issue, it doesn’t meetings and press briefings, involving Prime in any way interfere with the constitutional Minister Johnson – accompanied by Lord status of Northern Ireland as defined and David Frost, repotedly wearing Union Jack articulated in the Good Friday Agreement”. socks – and a line-up of world and European leaders, featuring Presidents Biden and BREXIT BRIEF 112 | JUN 2021 BREXIT BRIEF Prime Minister meets European renewed joint efforts to tackle the challenges Leaders, 12 June 2021 posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and emerging health threats. The Statement Prime Minister Boris Johnson met European dealt specifically with the Northern Ireland Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, issue, under the heading “Commitment to and European Council President, Charles Northern Ireland”: Michel, at the G7 Summit in Cornwall. The UK Government issued a brief Statement: Northern Ireland has taken huge strides forward since its courageous leaders The Prime Minister welcomed them to put reconciliation and progress before the Summit and stressed the important violence and division 23 years ago. We role the EU can play in tackling global are proud of the achievements of the challenges. They discussed the ongoing Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and we issues with the implementation of remain fully committed to its three strand the Northern Ireland Protocol. The approach, that: established the democratic Prime Minister made it clear that the institutions in Northern Ireland; provided UK is committed to finding practical for consultation, co-operation and action solutions within the framework of the across the island of Ireland; and created Protocol which protect the aims of the structures for British-Irish engagement. It Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and took a deep partnership between the U.K., minimise the impact on the day to day Ireland, and the U.S. to support the people lives of people in Northern Ireland. of Northern Ireland in bringing the Troubles They agreed on the need for continued to an end, and it will take a continued meaningful engagement to resolve the and ongoing partnership to advance and outstanding issues. safeguard Northern Ireland’s stability and prosperity into the future. The Prime Minister also held bilateral Today, the U.K. and U.S. reaffirm their discussions with French President Emmanuel commitment to working closely with all Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. parties to the Agreement to protect its Biden-Johnson Meet before G-7 delicate balance and realise its vision Summit, 10 June 2020 for reconciliation, consent, equality, respect for rights, and parity of President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris esteem. Unlocking Northern Ireland’s Johnson met in Cornwall on Thursday, 10 June tremendous potential is a vital part of 2021, ahead of the G-7 Summit. safeguarding the stability created by the Agreement, and the U.K. and the The White House issued a lengthy statement U.S. will continue working together covering the wide range of issues discussed towards that shared goal. by the two leaders –setting out a global vision in a new Atlantic Charter to deepen UK Government Statement cooperation in democracy and human The UK Government issued a Statement on rights, defence and security, science and the talks, making reference to the Northern innovation, and economic prosperity, with Ireland issue: BREXIT BRIEF 112 | JUN 2021 BREXIT BRIEF The Prime Minister and President both Long term visa fees were also discussed, reaffirmed their commitment to the although the UK does not consider this formally Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and a matter covered by the Agreement. to protecting the gains of the peace process. The leaders agreed that both As regards the substance, the UK emphasised the EU and the UK had a responsibility the need to continue and deepen our close to work together and to find pragmatic cooperation on customs and on sanitary and solutions to allow unincumbered trade phytosanitary measures and encouraged between Northern Ireland, Great pragmatism, on both sides, to minimise the Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The barriers to trade being faced. On fisheries, the Prime Minister outlined his ambitions to UK made clear that it will exercise regulatory further expand opportunities for all the autonomy within its waters, while continuing people in Northern Ireland and hoped to take pragmatic steps to ease the transition that the US would continue to work to the new arrangements for EU fishermen with the UK to boost prosperity there. including on licences. The UK noted the good progress in the area of law enforcement Trade and Cooperation Agreement generally, but that further steps were needed Partnership Council, 9 June 2021 before all Member States were able to deliver on the commitments in the Agreement. The UK Government issued a Statement on The UK encouraged swift progress on the the meeting of the Partnership Council: UK’s association to Horizon, Euratom and Copernicus.