“We will not be close. I see the Republic of Ireland from my office ”, launched Brian Reid to describe his company’s strategic geographical position in Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland.
Deli Lites specializes in the distribution of foods such as sandwiches, which are distributed to supermarkets in the UK and Europe. When Brexit happens, we need to make changessaid the entrepreneur.
With the departure of the European Union, the United Kingdom took over Northern Ireland, which is a region of the country. However, the Republic of Ireland in the south is still a member of the Union.
To avoid the imposition of a land border on this island marked by years of community violence, Brussels and London have agreed on a protocol ensuring that customs measures are applied before certain goods from the United Kingdom enter. in Ireland, whether north or south.
As a result, Brian Reid explained that he had abandoned some of his British suppliers and made more links with companies based in the Republic of Ireland.
And he’s not the only one who has made this kind of decision. According to Queen’s University Belfast political scientist Katy Hayward, the available data shows significant growth of trade between North and South.
Belfast in the midst of a political storm
This protocol, which is still not fully implemented, is at the heart of significant political tension in Northern Ireland.
A sign of its opposition to this agreement, the main unionist party in Belfast refused to participate in the formation of a government.
The activities of the regional parliament have not resumed normally since elections in early May, resulting in the historic victory of Sinn Féin, a party in favor of the reunification of Ireland.
According to political scientist Katy Hayward, unionists are already afraid of applying the protocol the distance between Northern Ireland and Great Britain continues to grow and their area within the United Kingdom continues to decline in importance.
A discovery that echoes the words of Paul Berry, a municipal unionist councilor in the Armagh region south of Belfast.
Proudly displayed in front of her office is a sign of her ownership in the United Kingdom, a sign with a picture of Queen Elizabeth, who will celebrate this week’s Platinum Jubilee. This border in the Irish Sea further separates us from our United Kingdom. […] It must gohe says.
Beyond the constitutional arguments, the counsel yields economic consequences to denounce the protocol.
If the deal benefits some traders, Paul Berry assures small traders in Northern Irish are having a hard time. If you go to a store and ask for a product, some will tell you that they have stopped selling it because they can no longer bring it from England.he said.
Paul Berry suggests that the protocol change the minimum way so that the authorities tax goods intended for export to the European Union, but not those to be used locally in Northern Ireland.
Showdown between London and Brussels
Faced with discontent by its unionist allies in Belfast, Boris Johnson’s British government in recent weeks has raised the possibility of disrespecting certain aspects of this agreement it has nonetheless signed. An idea to which Brussels responded with criticism and skepticism.
The only territory to which the United Kingdom and the European Union directly adhere, Northern Ireland, whose inhabitants still rejected Brexit by 56% during the 2016 referendum, therefore found itself in the middle of a conflict between two powers greater than itself.
” Northern Ireland is showing difficult decisions and negative consequences of Brexit. “
Declan Gormley, a Belfast-area entrepreneur who grew up when his region was rocked by violent clashes, said policymakers need to be careful in their handling of the file. Peace is fragile in Northern Ireland, it won’t take much to trigger a reactionhe warned.
Declan Gormley, whose company exports air conditioners throughout Europe, supports the protocol in its current form.
Contrary to the fears of many loyalists, the contractor even believes that by being consistent within the United Kingdom and maintaining markets in Europe, the protocol could encourage Northern Ireland to remain attached to London.
A prosperous Northern Ireland, which attracts more investment, is less tempted to leave the UK for a united Ireland.he says.
But at the moment, he especially regrets the political instability and the uncertainty created by the debates around this difficult issue.
Source: Radio-Canada
