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Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič updated European affairs ministers on EU/UK relations, including the need to extend the ratification of the EU/UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) from the end of February until 30 April, he also updated them on issues linked to the Withdrawal Agreement, and in particular the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.
The extension of the provisional application period for the TCA is needed to allow for the full legal translation of the agreement into 24 languages and the European Parliament’s approval. Šefčovič informed ministers that the UK had accepted the need for this extra time. The UK reply was officious in tone, complaining that the UK was disappointed that the EU had: “Not completed its internal processes in the agreed timeframe, given the uncertainty it creates for businesses and individuals on both sides. We expect the EU to meet the new timeline.”
Šefčovič said of the new agreement: “I think it is clear to everyone now that our partnership with the UK does not replicate or resemble the UK’s former membership of the European Union. We will continue to keep a watchful eye over the proper application of this agreement.”
He promised the EU’s full and “unwavering commitment to the full and proper implementation of the withdrawal agreement”. On the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland he said: “We will be going into tomorrow’s joint committee meeting with a constructive and solution-driven attitude.
“The EU has always been and remains fully committed to the Good Friday/Belfast agreement and to the proper implementation of the protocol, protecting the gains of the peace process, maintaining stability, avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, and preserving the integrity of the single market. At the same time, to make the protocol work on the ground, we need to act jointly to minimize the impact of the Brexit on the everyday lives of all communities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“We are open to pragmatic and flexible solutions to facilitate the implementation. In line with the protocol and the EU law.”
Šefčovič said there were consequences of the UK leaving the European Union. He listed the different concessions that had been made to help the UK, but said he needed to hear what progress had been made on using extensions, the trusted trader mechanism and access to VAT databases in real time – among others – before discussing the further flexibility and extensions to 2023 requested by the UK-side.
‘A great opportunity’
Despite recent controversy in Northern Ireland concerning the protocol, the vice president described being in the Single Market, at the same time as being in the internal market of the UK as a “great business opportunity”. He hopes that joint EU/UK work can help amplify this.
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