Melodi
Disaster Cat
Well, that certainly escalated quickly, and considering that the UK resisted the urge to do this even in the face of some food shortages in Northern Ireland (it is calling a temporary suspension of the "All Island Customs Agreement" that allows a free-flow of goods and people between the Republic and Northern Ireland).
This vaccine "war" has a good chance of getting really ugly, really fast if this keeps on going - Melodi
'Incredible act of hostility': Northern Ireland at centre of major row between EU and UK over vaccine supply
The Irish government wasn’t told in advance about the EU’s controversial decision to invoke a Brexit deal provision.
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Updated 46 minutes ago
THE EU HAS moved to prevent Northern Ireland from being used as a back door to funnel coronavirus vaccine from the bloc into the rest of the UK.
The move has caused alarm across the political spectrum, with the Irish government, Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the DUP and other unionists all raising their concerns.
Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster branded the EU’s triggering of Article 16 of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol to stop unfettered flow of inoculations from the EU into the region an “incredible act of hostility”.
Meanwhile, senior UK government minister Michael Gove said this evening that the UK is “carefully considering” the next steps.
The protocol, with is part of the Brexit withdrawal deal, normally allows for free movement of goods from the EU into Northern Ireland.
Under the terms of the protocol, goods should be able to move freely between the EU and Northern Ireland as the region remains in the single market for goods and still operates under EU customs rules.
The EU has triggered Article 16 of the protocol to temporarily place export controls on this movement in respect of vaccines.
Discussions are taking place tonight between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the decision to invoke Article 16.
A government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to express our concerns.”
It is understood that no prior consultation took place with the Irish government prior to the announcement tonight.
A Government source said that the criticism of the decision was “unsurprising”. The decision made by the commission still has to be ratified by the European Council.
It comes amid a deepening row over the allocation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after the company announced delays to its EU operations.
The move to activate Article 16 will frustrate any effort to use Northern Ireland as a back door to bring vaccines into Great Britain.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney tweeted this evening that the Irish government is working with the European Commission to “try to resolve this issue and protect the integrity and operation of the NI protocol”.
Reaction
Arlene Foster said: “By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner – over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives.
“At the first opportunity, the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the coronavirus vaccine.”
The regulation means Northern Ireland will be considered an export territory for the purposes of vaccine sent from the EU/the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s vaccines arrive from the rest of the UK at present so those will be unaffected.
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The DUP leader added: “With the European Union using Article 16 in such an aggressive and most shameful way, it is now time for our Government to step up.
“I will be urging the Prime Minister to act and use robust measures including Article 16 to advance the interests of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.”
The DUP has previously pressed the British Government to invoke the Article 16 mechanism because of disruption to the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.
The European Commission said: “Exports of goods from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom cannot be restricted by Union law unless this is strictly required by international obligations of the Union.
“Therefore, movements of goods covered by this regulation between the Union and Northern Ireland should be treated as exports.
“Whilst quantitative restrictions on exports are prohibited between the Union and Northern Ireland, in accordance with Article 5 (5) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, this is justified as a safeguard measure pursuant to Article 16 of that Protocol in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states.”
Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill said this evening she’d spoken to the Irish government to raise her “very serious concerns” about the invoking of Article 16.
She said: “This is a totally ill judged move by the EU and should not have been triggered. Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently.”
The move was also criticised by SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
He said: “The disproportionate decision to invoke Article 16 of the Ireland Protocol by the European Commission is a grave error in judgment that undermines the work that has taken place over the last five years to defend the interests of people on this island.
“We face a common threat. Our response to this virus, and to the supply of vaccines, should be characterised by our common values. I am a proud European because I believe in cooperation, compromise and solidarity across national borders. This decision sadly places the Commission at odds with those values.”
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UUP leader Steve Aiken said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis should be embarrassed.
He added: “The EU is unilaterally invoking Article 16 to protect its own interests and it’s about time the UK Government did the same instead of being lead actors in a ridiculous charade that there is no border in the Irish Sea and that Article 16 can’t be invoked.”
The chairman of the House of Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee, meanwhile, has said it was was “unconscionable folly” for the EU to escalate its vaccines row by triggering Article 16.
Simon Hoare said: “Vaccines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, which account for 100% of Northern Ireland’s coronavirus vaccines, will continue so the public have no reason for fear, but it’s unconscionable folly to escalate a contract dispute with a supplier to affect the so recently agreed, and still bedding in, NI Protocol.
“We need calm, stability and level-headedness.”
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha, Sean Murray
This vaccine "war" has a good chance of getting really ugly, really fast if this keeps on going - Melodi
EU backs down after Northern Ireland Protocol row provoked fury and dismay on both sides of Irish Sea
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has welcomed the u-turn.
www.thejournal.ie
The Irish government wasn’t told in advance about the EU’s controversial decision to invoke a Brexit deal provision.
2 hours ago 44,835 Views 49 Comments
Share16 Tweet Email
Updated 46 minutes ago
THE EU HAS moved to prevent Northern Ireland from being used as a back door to funnel coronavirus vaccine from the bloc into the rest of the UK.
The move has caused alarm across the political spectrum, with the Irish government, Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the DUP and other unionists all raising their concerns.
Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster branded the EU’s triggering of Article 16 of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol to stop unfettered flow of inoculations from the EU into the region an “incredible act of hostility”.
Meanwhile, senior UK government minister Michael Gove said this evening that the UK is “carefully considering” the next steps.
The protocol, with is part of the Brexit withdrawal deal, normally allows for free movement of goods from the EU into Northern Ireland.
Under the terms of the protocol, goods should be able to move freely between the EU and Northern Ireland as the region remains in the single market for goods and still operates under EU customs rules.
The EU has triggered Article 16 of the protocol to temporarily place export controls on this movement in respect of vaccines.
Discussions are taking place tonight between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the decision to invoke Article 16.
A government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to express our concerns.”
It is understood that no prior consultation took place with the Irish government prior to the announcement tonight.
A Government source said that the criticism of the decision was “unsurprising”. The decision made by the commission still has to be ratified by the European Council.
It comes amid a deepening row over the allocation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after the company announced delays to its EU operations.
The move to activate Article 16 will frustrate any effort to use Northern Ireland as a back door to bring vaccines into Great Britain.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney tweeted this evening that the Irish government is working with the European Commission to “try to resolve this issue and protect the integrity and operation of the NI protocol”.
Reaction
Arlene Foster said: “By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner – over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives.
“At the first opportunity, the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the coronavirus vaccine.”
The regulation means Northern Ireland will be considered an export territory for the purposes of vaccine sent from the EU/the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s vaccines arrive from the rest of the UK at present so those will be unaffected.
RELATED READS
29.01.21'The refrigerators will be empty:' Has the EU vaccine strategy gone off the rails?
29.01.21Ireland to receive 300,000 fewer vaccine doses to April due to supply issues
The DUP leader added: “With the European Union using Article 16 in such an aggressive and most shameful way, it is now time for our Government to step up.
“I will be urging the Prime Minister to act and use robust measures including Article 16 to advance the interests of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.”
The DUP has previously pressed the British Government to invoke the Article 16 mechanism because of disruption to the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.
The European Commission said: “Exports of goods from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom cannot be restricted by Union law unless this is strictly required by international obligations of the Union.
“Therefore, movements of goods covered by this regulation between the Union and Northern Ireland should be treated as exports.
“Whilst quantitative restrictions on exports are prohibited between the Union and Northern Ireland, in accordance with Article 5 (5) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, this is justified as a safeguard measure pursuant to Article 16 of that Protocol in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states.”
Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill said this evening she’d spoken to the Irish government to raise her “very serious concerns” about the invoking of Article 16.
She said: “This is a totally ill judged move by the EU and should not have been triggered. Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently.”
The move was also criticised by SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
He said: “The disproportionate decision to invoke Article 16 of the Ireland Protocol by the European Commission is a grave error in judgment that undermines the work that has taken place over the last five years to defend the interests of people on this island.
“We face a common threat. Our response to this virus, and to the supply of vaccines, should be characterised by our common values. I am a proud European because I believe in cooperation, compromise and solidarity across national borders. This decision sadly places the Commission at odds with those values.”
#OPEN JOURNALISM No news is bad news Support The Journal
Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you
SUPPORT US NOW
UUP leader Steve Aiken said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis should be embarrassed.
He added: “The EU is unilaterally invoking Article 16 to protect its own interests and it’s about time the UK Government did the same instead of being lead actors in a ridiculous charade that there is no border in the Irish Sea and that Article 16 can’t be invoked.”
The chairman of the House of Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee, meanwhile, has said it was was “unconscionable folly” for the EU to escalate its vaccines row by triggering Article 16.
Simon Hoare said: “Vaccines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, which account for 100% of Northern Ireland’s coronavirus vaccines, will continue so the public have no reason for fear, but it’s unconscionable folly to escalate a contract dispute with a supplier to affect the so recently agreed, and still bedding in, NI Protocol.
“We need calm, stability and level-headedness.”
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha, Sean Murray