The European Union (EU) may consider suspending a trade deal with the UK if it takes action to amend the Brexit deal. This was reported by Bloomberg on May 19, citing sources.
In 2016, the UK held a referendum to leave the European Union. 51.9% of those who voted supported him. 48.1% of people voted for maintaining the country’s membership in the EU. This process was abbreviated as Brexit. On February 1, 2020, the UK officially left the EU.
“The EU executive is likely to propose suspending the entire trade deal if the prime minister [Великобритании] Boris Johnson is following through on his threats to pass legislation to unilaterally change parts of the Northern Ireland protocol. A final decision on the details and timing of any retaliation will require the support of member states,” the agency said in a statement.
The agency also noted that British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced the day before that the government of the country in the coming weeks will present a bill in parliament that would change the protocol with the EU on Northern Ireland.
On May 1 last year, the EU and the UK completed all the formalities in the European process for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Community (Brexit). Then an agreement on bilateral relations between the UK and the EU came into force.
However, there is an ongoing dispute between the UK and the EU over the Northern Ireland (NI) protocol. London stubbornly insists that the protocol does not work and needs to be revised. London is proposing several changes, including abolishing customs checks in the Irish Sea for British goods entering Ulster. The kingdom also calls for the creation of an arbitration body that will resolve disputes over compliance with the rules of the single market.
