Jeffrey Donaldson: EU ‘turning up Northern Ireland Protocol tensions with fresh legal action against UK’

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the move underlined the belief that the EU was unwilling to compromise over the Protocol.

Relations between London and Brussels deteriorated yesterday after the European Commission triggered four new infringement procedures.

The EU argued it was forced to act because it said the UK has been unwilling to take part in “meaningful discussion” over the Protocol since February.

Sir Jeffrey said: “The EU could choose to negotiate an outcome which respects the right of the United Kingdom to regulate its own internal market. However, having failed to give their chief negotiator a mandate to enter serious discussions it is something of a stretch to then blame the United Kingdom for a lack of meaningful discussion.”

He continued: “The European Union’s actions are a clear attempt to increase tensions rather than find solutions. They come on the back of the EU’s previous challenges to grace periods which are critical to local businesses and are the only current protections against the full impact of the Protocol.”

The DUP leader said in the absence of engagement with the EU on the Protocol then the legislation to override its “Union-threatening elements” is “the only framework that can deal with both the democratic deficit and the barriers to trade we currently experience.”

He added: “The EU has a choice ahead of the Prime Minister taking office. They could view it as a fresh opportunity to make progress and secure outcomes which work for everyone.

“Instead they appear to be upping the ante and choosing belligerence over diplomacy.”

The EU legal action is another attack on the UK Government’s NI Protocol Bill which Brussels argues breaks international law.

An EU spokesperson said: “In a spirit of constructive co-operation, the Commission refrained from launching certain infringements procedures for over a year to create the space to look for joint solutions with the UK.

“However, the UK’s unwillingness to engage in meaningful discussion since last February and the continued passage of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill through the UK Parliament go directly against this spirit.”

Meanwhile Ian Paisley appealed last night to Peers in the House of Lords not to sabotage or hold up the Protocol Bill when it enters the upper house when Parliament resumes in September.

The DUP North Antrim MP said: “One message must be put to the Lords loud and clear. That for as long as the Lords delay, procrastinate and attempt to change and amend the Protocol Bill - that has overwhelming support from the elected chamber - then for every day they mess about it will be another day that the Assembly will not meet, and another day when Northern Ireland will be without an Executive.

“The destiny of an Executive ever meeting again is now in the hands of the House of Lords.

“Members there would do well to recognise that they should not seek to overrule the will of the elected chamber.

“To do so will undermine their credibility and will only delay progress on repairing the damage done by the Protocol and restoring the devolved institutions.

“The Lords must leave alone this Bill.”