The President of the Council of Europe has confirmed that the European Union may use the means of sanctions to persuade London to implement the Brexit agreement.
Prior to meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss the implementation of the Brexit agreement, the President of the European Council said that the European Union would use “its entire means” to defend its interests.
Charles Michelle told a news conference on the sidelines of the G7 summit that he had violated “the rule of law” if Britain did not abide by the agreement it had signed on Northern Ireland.
The Independent writes that Michelle’s remarks are an implicit threat from Britain to use trade sanctions if it insists on a controversial protocol on Northern Ireland.
The Bargaining Agreement signed between the United Kingdom and the European Union contains specific provisions that allow either party to suspend certain negotiated trade rights if the other party deviates from its obligations.
Britain wants to suspend or change some of the provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which was negotiated about a year ago by the Boris Johnson administration. The British government now says the protocol is more harmful to Britain than expected.
The Northern Ireland Protocol exempts goods surveillance along the Irish border from the start of new relations between the UK and the EU on 1 January. This Protocol is one of the provisions of the Bargaining Agreement.
The President of the European Commission on Thursday called on Britain to comply with the provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol. He said: “We have agreed with the Kingdom of England that this protocol is the only possible solution to prevent the establishment of a difficult border in Northern Ireland.”
He added: “We have been discussing this for years and we have found this solution as the only possible solution. In this regard, an agreement has been reached, which is the agreement of choice. This agreement has been signed by both sides and now it is important that we implement it.”
In a referendum held in 2016, the British people voted in favor of leaving the European Union (EU). The British government was able to reach an agreement with Brussels earlier this year after much wrangling.