Britain backed away from triggering Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol after warnings that the move could precipitate a trade war with the European Union.
Brexit Secretary David Frost told the House of Lords Article 16 would be Britain’s only option if talks with the EU failed, but promised to keep negotiating for a number of weeks.
Although we have been talking for nearly four weeks, there are still possibilities that the talks have not yet seriously considered, including several approaches proposed by the United Kingdom. So there’s more to be done, and I certainly won’t give up on this process unless and until it becomes absolutely clear that nothing else can be done.
‘Stay calm’
Lord Frost urged the EU to “keep calm and keep things in order” as ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday considered how to respond to a unilateral suspension of the protocol under Article 16. Among the options discussed in European capitals was termination. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) that was agreed with Britain last year.
Lord Frost condemned what he described as threats about the TCA, calling them unhelpful, but said he believed a negotiated solution was possible and rejected the suggestion that the two sides were disengaging in negotiations.
“We got a little closer; there was some movement, which is fine. We are not moving together fast enough, and the gap is still very wide. However, there has been some gradual progress.
NI is in danger
Government sources in Dublin said their assessment was that Britons were «now holding back» on invoking Article 16, but said they did not believe the move was off the agenda.
“Sometimes you think they don’t know what they are doing,” one source said. «But I think Boris wants to calm down a bit.»
In Dáil, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it would be «wrong» to trigger Article 16, and warned that access to the EU’s single market for Northern Ireland companies would be jeopardized if the British government went ahead.
Mr Martin spoke by phone to party leaders in Northern Ireland last night. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said he urged Taoiseach to use Dublin’s influence in Brussels «to reach an outcome that is reasonable, sustainable and can command the support of unionists in Northern Ireland».