Britain accepts EU judges’ role in Northern Ireland protocol
Britain has formally dropped its demand that Europe’s highest court should have no legal role in the controversial Northern Ireland protocol.
In a key concession to Brussels Lord Frost, the Brexit minister, will tell his EU counterpart today that Britain now accepts that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) must be allowed to interpret the protocol of the Brexit agreement.
The move represents a significant shift from the British side in an attempt to unblock negotiations on changes to the protocol, designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which have been going on since October.
Frost will also tell Maros Sefcovic, vice-president of the European Commission, that Britain is prepared to accept a “staged” process, with separate deals on different aspects of the protocol rather than addressing it all at once.
Today the EU will publish its legislation to ensure that all medicines that are available in Britain can also be prescribed in Northern Ireland. The UK said it had not seen the final details of the proposals but believed they would be broadly acceptable.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brit ... -t6f9s85dvUK indicates European court may have NI Protocol role
The UK government has indicated the European Court of Justice could have a role in the Northern Ireland Protocol.
It could mean the court ruling on issues of EU law, but not having the final say in protocol disputes.
The role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has not yet featured in current negotiations with the EU, but the UK is keen to engage on the issue.
On Friday, the EU will publish a new proposal for guaranteeing medicine supplies from GB to Northern Ireland.
It is understood to represent a significant advance on what it published in October.
It will include a way for the UK's medicines regulator to approve new drugs for Northern Ireland in advance of an approval by the EU regulator.
The UK has not agreed the medicines proposal, but it is expected that it will welcome it as a positive development.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-59691427