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DPA
London
Britain’s decision to proceed with a bill to override part of its EU withdrawal agreement is “shocking” and undermines trade talks between Brussels and London, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Tuesday.
“For many people, it’s pretty shocking that the British government is voting through its parliament a bill that breaks international law,” Coveney said after British lawmakers approved the bill in a first vote late on Monday. “I don’t ever remember a time when that happened before.”
Coveney noted there was “still a lot of division” among British lawmakers over whether it was acceptable to break an international agreement, with more votes planned over the next week. He said the UK Internal Market Bill was “a hugely unwelcome distraction” that complicates negotiations on post-Brexit trade. “We need to focus on how we can rebuild some trust in the relationship between the EU and the UK.”
“The big prize here is to actually get a deal on a future relationship that avoids tariffs and quotas being implemented on trade crossing the Irish sea which is worth about €80 billion a year.”
London
Britain’s decision to proceed with a bill to override part of its EU withdrawal agreement is “shocking” and undermines trade talks between Brussels and London, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Tuesday.
“For many people, it’s pretty shocking that the British government is voting through its parliament a bill that breaks international law,” Coveney said after British lawmakers approved the bill in a first vote late on Monday. “I don’t ever remember a time when that happened before.”
Coveney noted there was “still a lot of division” among British lawmakers over whether it was acceptable to break an international agreement, with more votes planned over the next week. He said the UK Internal Market Bill was “a hugely unwelcome distraction” that complicates negotiations on post-Brexit trade. “We need to focus on how we can rebuild some trust in the relationship between the EU and the UK.”
“The big prize here is to actually get a deal on a future relationship that avoids tariffs and quotas being implemented on trade crossing the Irish sea which is worth about €80 billion a year.”
