Rumours of Article 16 move to suspend Northern Ireland Protocol are credible says Lord Empey

Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey claimed last night that there was growing speculation around Westminster that the Government will trigger Article 16 to suspend the Northern Ireland Protocol after the Assembly election.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The former UUP leader said there were “credible rumours” that because of growing frustration among the UK negotiators with their EU counterparts Article 16 may be enacted after the May 5 election.

Other sources at Westminster told the News Letter that measures to deal with the Protocol could be included in the Queen’s speech on May 10.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But government sources stressed yesterday that the priority remained at working to obtain a deal on the Protocol with the EU with negotiations still ongoing between London and Brussels rather than enacting Article 16.

Appearing alongside the German leader Olaf Scholz at a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said he could not rule out triggering Article 16Appearing alongside the German leader Olaf Scholz at a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said he could not rule out triggering Article 16
Appearing alongside the German leader Olaf Scholz at a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said he could not rule out triggering Article 16

On the prospect of Article 16 being triggered, Lord Empey said: “While the atmosphere in the talks between the EU and the UK on the Northern Ireland Protocol has improved, the fact is that the talks have lost momentum in recent weeks. There is of course the situation in Ukraine which is quite understandably taking up a lot of time and energy from both the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and the European Commission, but the talks cannot drag on forever and are having a destabilising effect here in Northern Ireland.

“There is a feeling in some UK quarters that the EU may be playing things long in the hope that people here will come to accept the current situation as the status quo going forward.”

The former UUP leader said he believed his party was winning the argument about the Protocol with both London and Brussels realising that the present situation cannot continue.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has refused to rule out triggering Article 16, and hinted at disagreement with the German Chancellor on the issue.

Lord Empey is a former leader of the Ulster Unionist PartyLord Empey is a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Lord Empey is a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party

The Prime Minister described an “almost seamless harmony” between the UK and Germany on most issues during a briefing which focused mainly on support for Ukraine, but indicated the protocol was an area where there was friction.

Appearing alongside the German leader Olaf Scholz at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said he had raised the issue.

Asked about Article 16, the PM told reporters: “We had discussion about this, as you can expect. It came up. I think I raised it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He went on to say the result of the discussion was “entirely predictable”.

He added: “The almost seamless harmony that you have observed between Britain and Germany today I would not wish in any way to interrupt by going into that any further.

“But what I will say is that, to answer your question ‘would we take that off the table?’ the use of Article 16, no clearly not, there is a problem.”

But he said the pair, who smiled and nodded along in agreement with each other at points throughout the briefing, are united on “virtually every other issue” of policy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The protocol has created new economic barriers on trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Agreed by the UK and EU to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, it has instead moved regulatory and customs checks to the Irish Sea, with Northern Ireland remaining in the EU single market for goods.

The Province also applies the EU customs code at its ports.

Unionists claim the arrangements have undermined the sovereignty of the UK and have demanded the UK triggers the protocol’s Article 16 mechanism to suspend its trading provisions.

Article 16 is a safeguard clause within the Protocol that allows either the UK or the EU to take unilateral “strictly necessary” measures if the post-Brexit trade deal is causing “serious economic, societal difficulties that are liable to persist, or diversion of trade”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad