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Leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups on Thursday postponed a decision on when to vote to ratify the post-Brexit trade deal following accusations Britain risks breaking international law over Northern Ireland.
According to two officials, the Parliament’s Conference of Presidents decision came as a reaction to the U.K. on Wednesday unveiling plans to unilaterally extend grace periods on post-Brexit customs checks at Northern Ireland’s ports for at least six months. European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič condemned the move, branding it “a clear departure from the constructive approach” to ongoing talks on Northern Ireland trade that he said would undermine trust.
The Commission said in a statement that it marked the “second time” the U.K. government had been “set to breach international law” after a heated row over the border erupted in 2020.
The political group leaders in Parliament will have another chance to decide on the date for a vote on the post-Brexit agreement at their upcoming meeting next week, but the decision might be delayed further if Britain does not backtrack on its Northern Ireland decision, one official said.
Theoretically, MEPs can wait until the end of April, when the provisional application for the agreement runs out. Both EU governments and the British parliament have already approved the deal but the European Parliament must also give its consent before it can fully enter into force.
One senior MEP threatened Thursday that Parliament might not vote — or vote in favor — unless the U.K. government backtracks on its controversial decision.
“Should the UK authorities breach — or threaten to breach — the Withdrawal Agreement, through the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill… or in any other way, the European Parliament will, under no circumstances, ratify any agreement between the EU and the UK,” Bernd Lange, the chair of the Parliament’s trade committee, quoted from a parliament group leaders’ statement from September, adding: “Still valid.”
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