EU has shown intransigence on access to GB goods

In yesterday’s paper, we reported that a set of business representatives warned the government that a dual regulatory regime for goods could create “reputational, legal and commercial risks” for companies here.

The Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group, which includes bodies like Manufacturing NI and the CBI, urged the UK and the EU to reach an early agreement on the Irish Sea border.

Currently, the government is steering the NI Protocol Bill through parliament, which empowers ministers to create green and red lanes for goods and potentially allows businesses to adhere to EU standards or UK standards, when they sell products here.

Importantly, it is taking this action because months of talks with the European Commission have resulted in little progress.

It would be ideal if Brussels were finally to drop the pretence that sales to Northern Ireland from GB pose a “threat” to the EU trade bloc.

The working group rightly says that access to the GB market is “much needed”. The free movement of goods from the mainland is important for many local companies’ supply chains, and vital when it comes to keeping prices down for consumers.

Unfortunately, the EU has shown little sign that it is prepared to be reasonable when it comes to the movement of British products into this region of the UK.

In fact, through litigation, it is doubling down on its insistence that the protocol should be implemented even more rigorously.

The vast majority of goods destined for Northern Ireland pose little risk to the single market. The government’s argument is that the current arrangements are not fair or justified, given the scale of the “threat” to Brussels.

That remains the problem where trade is concerned, while the protocol also creates enormously significant political and constitutional issues that are beyond the purview of business.