Beijing, 27 Feb (Xinhua) -- The British Prime Minister's Office announced on the evening of 26 February that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will conduct "final negotiations" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 27 February on a number of new arrangements in Northern Ireland after Britain leaves the European Union. Public opinion generally expects that the two sides are expected to reach an agreement to resolve the trade dispute that has long hindered the development of the UK-EU relationship.
Sunak had a "tight schedule" on the 27th: first held a luncheon with von der Leyen in Berkshire, west of the capital London, for "final negotiations", and then met with cabinet officials; If the UK and EU reach an agreement, he will hold a joint press conference with von der Leyen, followed by a briefing to the House of Commons of the British Parliament.
British government sources told The Times that the new agreement is expected to be announced before Sunak briefs the lower house of parliament.
Rishi Sunak speaks in front of the Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street in London, England, October 25, 2022. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ying
Sunak said it had prompted the EU to make "significant concessions". Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: "No prime minister has ever negotiated such a good deal since 2016. A former cabinet official who spoke with Sunak was surprised by the extent of the bloc's concessions, saying Sunak "got a better deal than his predecessors."
As disclosed by The Times, the EU has agreed to remove customs and border security checks and approval documents for most goods and agricultural products shipped from the British Isles to Northern Ireland. In addition, the EU has agreed that Northern Ireland is exempt from more than 90% of the EU Single Market rules as long as it ensures that products are not shipped to the EU country Ireland.
In addition, the new EU law may still apply in Northern Ireland, but the UK government and the Northern Ireland local council have the right to participate in the consultation in advance. The European Court of Justice will act as the "ultimate arbiter" of the EU's single market rules, but the British side has won assurances that the case will not be transferred directly to the EU.
According to Reuters, over how to deal with Northern Ireland, the British and European sides have been negotiating intermittently for more than a year, often speaking ill of each other, and relations have declined. It is unclear whether Sunak's new deal with the EU will satisfy domestic critics.
A car drives on a road near Newry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, on June 14, 2022. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Koram Lynch)
The UK officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020. As part of the Brexit agreement between the two sides, the Northern Ireland Protocol requires Northern Ireland to remain in the European Single Market with the EU Customs Union to prevent a land "hard border" on the island of Ireland.
This means that some goods entering Northern Ireland from the British island are subject to customs border inspection, which essentially creates a "border" between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, and the European Court of Justice still has some jurisdiction over Northern Ireland. This arrangement has aroused the displeasure of the hardline "Eurosceptic" faction of the British Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland, the largest pro-British party in Northern Ireland, which they believe is suspected of infringing on British sovereignty.
After the "Brexit" agreement came into effect, the British government promoted the "Northern Ireland Protocol Act" at home, allowing the United Kingdom to unilaterally violate the "Brexit" agreement and try to define obligations, which caused dissatisfaction in the EU. The two sides renegotiated and recently made a breakthrough.
Workers remove signs from the European Commission's local office in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, on January 31, 2020. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Paul McClay)
In protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland refused to form a coalition with Sinn Féin, a pro-Irish party elected as the largest party in the local council in Northern Ireland, upsetting the political balance in Northern Ireland and possibly even threatening regional peace and stability. The Northern Ireland Democratic Unionist Party has set seven conditions for the new agreement, and according to the Times, the party's top brass wants to review the legal documents for the new agreement in its entirety before deciding whether to support it.
Some "Eurosceptic" lawmakers have also expressed reservations about supporting the new agreement. British cabinet officials said on the evening of the 26th that lawmakers have the opportunity to vote on some or even all of the new agreement.
Reuters analysis that even if Britain and Europe announce a new agreement, "it may just be the beginning." Sunak hopes to achieve the success that his predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss failed to get, but the move could "drown" his priorities at home. The UK is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections next year, and the Conservative Party currently has poor public support. (Marine)