EP Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, David McALLISTER (EPP,DE) gives a statement on the CE proposals related to the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, after the UK's Brexit minister announced that UK wants to negotiate a new protocol. The UK and EU agreed on a protocol after Brexit to avoid the introduction of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The document states that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK's customs territory - so if the UK signs a free-trade deal with another country, Northern Irish goods would be included. However, Northern Ireland will have to stick to EU rules to allow goods to move freely into the Republic and the rest of the EU.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

EU - United Kingdom (T)

McALLISTER, David (EPP, DE)

EU - Ireland (T)

peace process in Northern Ireland (T)

negotiations on future EU-UK relations (T)

Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland: statement by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair

Title: Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland: statement by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, Commission EC Vice President, Maro&scaron; &Scaron;efčovič just informed the members of the UK contact group about his new proposals, how to deal with the sensitive issues around the situation in Northern Ireland and colleagues across party lines very much welcomed this new package. The European Union, especially the Commission, has been very clear. We want to find pragmatic and flexible solutions to facilitate everyday life in Northern Ireland for citizens and businesses. We are ready to be as pragmatic as possible, but this has to happen within the framework of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. This protocol was painstakingly negotiated by both sides. It is a try to square the circle and we are now ready to find solutions with our British counterparts but the protocol is not the problem. The protocol is part of the solution of the problem. The problem is Brexit, especially the very hard form of Brexit the UK chose.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, The EU side has made new proposals, and now it's up to the UK side to carefully analyze what we have put on the table. We are pragmatic, we are flexible, but there are certain points which are very important for us. We also have principles in the European Union. On the one hand, we believe that the protocol cannot be renegotiated and on the other hand, Northern Ireland is more or less part of the EU single market. That also means that, of course, the Court of Justice of the European Union is the final legal authority as regards the EU's single market rules. So we are principled here, but we are ready to negotiate with the British side, and I do hope that we can actually move forward now because we cannot kick the can down the road endlessly. We need to find solid solutions which are sustainable, and one thing is also important for us in the European Parliament across party lines, and we have been very clear here.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, There are three goals we want to achieve as regards Ireland and Northern Ireland: to preserve peace and stability, the Good Friday Belfast Agreement, second, to ensure the functioning of the all Ireland economy, but also to protect the integrity of our single market.