Top European Union officials have vowed to use all available measures to ensure the UK respects the terms of its Brexit agreement with the bloc as tensions rise over trade involving Northern Ireland. The row centres on provisions of the Brexit deal that essentially created a regulatory border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. That angered many pro-British residents of Northern Ireland who reject anything that threatens their status as part of the UK. The Northern Ireland Protocol was designed to keep the peace there by ensuring that trade with the Republic of Ireland continued to flow freely after Britain left the bloc. Ms Von der Leyen told reporters that the EU has “shown flexibility, we will show flexibility, but the protocol and the (Brexit) Withdrawal Agreement has to be implemented completely”.

Source: Irish Independent June 10, 2021 10:18 UTC