Geert Bourgeois: “Northern Ireland Brexit agreement hopefully offers scope for improved EU-UK cooperation”

Former Flemish Minister-President and current MEP Geert Bourgeois is pleased that an agreement has finally been reached on the long Brexit saga of the Northern Ireland Protocol: “The Westminster agreement includes good lines that we have long supported, and hopefully also provides perspective for further improved cooperation between the EU and the UK. Our Flemish companies can only benefit from this.”

In concrete terms, incoming goods will go through a different procedure depending on their final destination: “green lane” (destination Northern Ireland) and “red lane” (destination EU). This was only possible after the EU gained access to British customs data. “We are waiting for the texts, but I understand that there are now more intermediate steps of consultation, arbitration and even an emergency brake procedure, but that in the end, as it should be, the European Court of Justice is the ultimate guardian of the EU rules for the internal market,” says Bourgeois.

Statesmanship at last

Bourgeois thinks statesmanship has finally been shown on both sides of the Channel. US President Biden’s upcoming visit (probably on 10 April) to mark 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement no doubt also added pressure. He now hopes that this will also mean a breakthrough in the further development of new and renewed cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as the North Sea, technology, migration, energy security, climate, security and defence.

Courage

Geert Bourgeois: “However, the woeful Brexit story is not quite over yet. Decisions still need to be made, but this breakthrough gives us renewed courage to take up other collaborations (again) as well. It is crucial for our European - particularly Flemish - businesses and citizens that the relationship with our British neighbours is good. In these geopolitically difficult times, we in the West should pull together as much as possible.