More issues than medicines need addressing in Brexit protocol – Donaldson

By Q Radio News/ PA

Further talks are due to take place today between the UK and EU over the controversial NI Protocol.

Yesterday European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic indicated the EU could act unilaterally to guarantee the supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
 
However, Dup leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said there are more issues with the Protocol than the supply of medicines.

Mr Sefcovic is expected to talk to UK Brexit minister Lord Frost today and negotiate over the Protocol.

Giving evidence to the Stormont Executive committee on Wednesday, Mr Sefcovic urged the UK to “reciprocate” in the talks.

The post-Brexit arrangements have sparked outrage among unionists in Northern Ireland.

They say additional checks on goods arriving into the region from Great Britain are impacting trade as well as undermining Northern Ireland’s relationship with the rest of the UK.

Further talks are due to take place today between the UK and EU over the controversial NI Protocol.https://t.co/wmaOc7oQpj

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Reacting to Mr Sefcovic’s contribution to the committee, Sir Jeffrey said on Thursday: “Whilst medicines are a very important element of dealing with the Northern Ireland Protocol, it is by far not the only issue that needs to be dealt with here.”

He also urged the UK Government to remove the protocol if agreement is not made with the EU.

“We want to see agreement so that people in Northern Ireland can have access to medicines in the way that they should. It is absolutely ridiculous that the European Union is restricting the movement of medicines for people here, especially during a pandemic,” he told media during a visit to Greater Shankill Community Council in west Belfast.

“But there are many other issues in this protocol that need to be addressed, not least the unacceptable position where goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and staying within the UK internal market are subject to customs checks.

“That is not a sustainable position and we expect the Government to act on these things.

“If agreement cannot be reached in the negotiations then the Government must do what the Government has pledged to do and that is to take the action that is necessary to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market, and to remove the Irish Sea customs border on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.”

(Sir Jeffrey Donaldson)