Coveney and German counterpart condemn UK for 'unilaterally breaking an international agreement'

Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock wrote that recent elections to Northern Ireland’s assembly  showed public support for the current arrangements including the controversial Northern Ireland protocol. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Simon Coveney and his German counterpart have warned British prime minister Boris Johnson that there is “no legal or political justification” for his plans to override the Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland.

Mr Coveney and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock made a rare joint statement condemning the UK for “unilaterally breaking an international agreement”.

The two ministers have warned that Mr Johnson’s determination to effectively override the Northern Ireland protocol, which he agreed two years ago, risks undermining the “rules-based international order” just as Europe is attempting to confront Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Writing in the British Sunday newspaper the Observer, the two ministers say that recent elections to Northern Ireland’s assembly, which delivered a majority of members who back the protocol, showed public support for the current arrangements including the controversial Northern Ireland protocol.

The EU had been and would continue to be “flexible and creative” to deal with issues that have hampered trade between the Northern Ireland and Britain, they wrote.

“Unfortunately, the British government chose not to engage in good faith with these proposals,” they write. 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote that the EU had been and would continue to be “flexible and creative” to deal with issues that have hampered trade between the Northern Ireland and Britain. Picture: Tobias Schwarz/AP

“Instead of the path of partnership and dialogue, the British government has chosen unilateralism. There is no legal or political justification for unilaterally breaking an international agreement entered into only two years ago. 

The tabling of legislation this month will not fix the challenges around the protocol. Instead, it will create a new set of uncertainties and make it more challenging to find durable solutions.

“In these difficult times, as Russia is leading a ruthless war in Ukraine, breaking with our European peace order, the EU and UK must stand together as partners with shared values and a commitment to uphold and strengthen the rules-based international order.”

We urge the British government to step back from their unilateral approach and show the same pragmatism and readiness to compromise that the EU has shown. 

"By working together — in partnership and with mutual respect — common ground can be found and challenges, no matter how difficult, can be overcome.” 

The writing of such a joint statement in a major newspaper was seen in London on Sunday morning as significant.

British prime minister Boris Johnson's determination to effectively override the Northern Ireland protocol risks undermining the “rules-based international order”.

London sources said it amounted to a co-ordinated effort within the EU to back Ireland in the dispute, as well as a hardening of Germany’s position on Brexit with the arrival of the new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar last week accused the British government of risking the break-up of the UK with its handling of Northern Ireland.

He said last week that the UK government’s actions were disrespectful. 

“I think that’s a strategic mistake for people who want to maintain the union, because if you continue to impose things on Northern Ireland that a clear majority of people don’t want, that means more people will turn away from the union,” he told the BBC.

“It’s a peculiar policy coming from a government that purports to want to defend the union.” 

Liz Truss, the British foreign secretary, has claimed that proposals put forward by the EU to resolve some of the trade issues created by the protocol would create more unwanted bureaucracy.