Britain requests ‘standstill’ on Northern Ireland protocol

British government says ‘significant change’ to the trade agreement is needed to avoid triggering Article 16

The British proposals amount to a suspension on checks for most goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

The British government has requested a “standstill period” on the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol as part of a proposed overhaul to trade agreements made as part of Brexit just last year.

Both David Frost, the Brexit Minister, and Brandon Lewis, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, made statements to the British parliament on Wednesday proposing a freeze on any further implementation of the protocol and stating that “significant change” would be needed to ...