The move has been criticised both by Brussels and Dublin and within the UK as an action that violates international law, namely the Brexit agreement.
However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson commented in a morning radio interview that it would be "outrageous" of the EU to open a trade war with London, as European officials have warned.
The British government argues that the controls imposed by the Protocol on products moving from Britain to Northern Ireland are in practice hurting businesses and citizens, threatening the Good Friday peace agreement and undermining the integrity of the British market.
The DUP, the largest party of the Unionist party in Northern Ireland, has intensified pressure on London as it refuses to agree to form a local government with the republican Sinn Féin. It cites the Protocol as a reason, claiming that it undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
The Europeans counter that the controls are necessary to protect the European single market and that the agreement was signed by the Johnson government less than three years ago, avoiding the reintroduction of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. UK[/B] Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who will introduce the bill later, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and Commission Vice-President in charge Maros Sefchowitz reiterated their opposition to the unilateral British move.
Speaking to LBC, however, Boris Johnson said it was nothing more than a "bureaucratic change that needs to be made, frankly a relatively trivial series of adjustments". And he accused the EU of "grossly overreacting."
For her part, Ms Truss said after this morning's talks that the UK government still preferred a negotiated solution, but that the EU should also be prepared to make changes to the Protocol.
The Johnson government's Northern Ireland Secretary, Brandon Lewis, said unilateral changes to the Protocol were "legal and proper", amid calls for the government to disclose the legal advice it has received.
Among the changes to the Protocol that the British bill will bring to the Protocol will be the creation of a "green lane" for products from Great Britain destined to stay in Northern Ireland and a "red lane" for products crossing into Ireland and therefore into EU territory. For products in the first category, controls would be lifted.
The Bill would also remove the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice over matters relating to the application of the Protocol.
According to the Financial Times, there is also provision for the UK government to unilaterally repeal almost any aspect of the Protocol if it is deemed to be causing significant economic or political disruption to Northern Ireland. It is no coincidence that Mrs. Truss is expected to cite the need to protect the Good Friday peace agreement for the proposed changes.
However, apart from the opposition and the Europeans, there are strong reactions from MPs of the ruling Conservative Party. Reports even mention names of deputy ministers who may resign in opposition to the unilateral amendment of the protocol.
A note circulating among Conservative MPs has also been published, according to which the unilateral amendment of the international agreement "hurts the UK's position in the EU". The Confederation of British Industry, which represents the country's businesses, also described the British government's move as "unhelpful".
Source: CNA
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