Tensions between the UK and the EU over Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal have intensified after talks designed to end the conflict broke up without a breakthrough.
Brexit minister Lord Frost said he had had a “frank and honest discussion” with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic in London, but that there had been no overall agreement.
Within hours however the EU had warned its patience was wearing thin and that the row could lead to “cross retaliation”, while UK sources hit back accusing the bloc of indulging in threats.
Even before the negotiations began, the UK warned that time was running out to reach a deal on the controversial Northern Irish protocol, which local politicians have claimed is jeopardising peace in the province.
For his part Mr Sefcovic had also said Brussels would act “firmly and resolutely” if the UK unilaterally decided to delay checks intended to ensure there was no return to a hard border with the Republic.
The Brexit deal is deeply unpopular with many unionists in Northern Ireland, who believe it has created a border within the UK instead.
The forthcoming end of a “grace period” for trade in products including mince from the rest of the UK into Northern Ireland has led to suggestions of “sausage wars” with the EU.
After the meeting Mr Sefcovic told a press conference: “We are at a crossroads, (that) means that our patience really is wearing very, very thin, and therefore we have to assess all options we have at our disposal,“ he said.
“I was talking about the legal action, I was talking about arbitration, and of course I’m talking about the cross-retaliation.A senior UK source close to negotiations said it was a “pity” the EU was “resorting to threats”.
“No-one wants to get into a trade war or anything like that… People in Northern Ireland want solutions not threats,” he said.
He declined to say how the UK would respond if the EU imposed tariffs. “We will have to see what happens if we get into that situation.
“We don’t think it helps the situation to impose tariffs and don’t think it makes the problems in Northern Ireland easier to solve if we go down that route.”
He confirmed that the option of unilaterally extending the grace period on movements of chilled food beyond its expiry date at the end of June remains “on the table” but insisted that no decision had been taken yet.
The evidence from last year’s eleventh-hour trade deal was that “you don’t give up until the very last minute”.
The source also warned that elements in Northern Ireland may be persuaded to adopt violent measures if they found themselves unable to make progress through normal political channels.
“The purist approach has risks, because it makes it difficult to make progress through normal politics,” the source warned. “It is crucial to find ways of progressing politically and from the conversations I have had, everybody wants that.”
Immediately after the three-and-a-half hours of talks ended, Lord Frost said that while there had been “no breakthroughs” both sides had agreed to continue discussions.
“The problem we’ve got is the protocol is being implemented in a way which is causing disruption in Northern Ireland and we had some pretty frank and honest discussions about that situation today,” he said.
“There weren’t any breakthroughs. There aren’t any breakdowns either and we’re going to carry on talking.
“What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland and allow things to return to normal.”
There was no substantive progress on a number of areas, including on sausages.
But the UK government said it expected proposals from the EU soon on the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland, the movement of livestock between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and approval processes for high-risk plants intended for export to the EU.
There was also what was described as “some progress” on a small number of issues including on assistance dogs entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain and EU access to the UK customs IT systems and databases.
The senior source acknowledged that the UK was not accusing the EU of any breach of the protocol agreed by Mr Johnson.
“We would say that the protocol is designed to give wide margins to respond to events and respect the balance of interests which can evolve,” said the source.
“I don’t think I would say there is a breach, but what I would say is that they are requiring it to be operated in a way which is excessively purist and which risks undermining the overall purpose of the protocol, which is to support the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process.”
