Hope blossoms for UK-EU agreement on solutions for Northern Ireland deliveries

The EU said yesterday it was prepared to cut the number of spot checks by 80% and halve the amount of customs paperwork.

This was welcomed, but the UK’s discomfort with the role of the European Court of Justice as the arbiter in case of any dispute remains unresolved.

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said “a deal is possible” but “the devil, as always, is in the detail”.

He added: “It is welcome that both the UK government and the European Union have brought forward proposals and are now in solution mode in relation to addressing challenges around the NI Protocol.

“This moves the situation forward and hopefully to a long-term solution which gives our members greater stability in trading with GB suppliers and wholesalers.”

Haulage associations were also positive. Seamus Leheny, Logistics UK’s Northern Ireland policy manager, said the proposed changes provided hope that deliveries across the Irish Sea could be restored to normal.

He said: “The news of movement from both sides in the negotiations on the future of the Northern Ireland Protocol is welcomed by logistics sector.

“The solutions proposed by the EU are a positive step in the right direction. “