A spokesperson for the European (EU) Commission has called the decision by Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to halt border checks on imports as of last night (February 2) "unhelpful".
"The European Commission has been working tirelessly with the UK government to address practical challenges related to the implementation of the Protocol," they said
"The decision by the Northern Irish Minister for Agriculture is therefore unhelpful.
"It creates further uncertainly and unpredictability for businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland. The European Commission will closely monitor developments in Northern Ireland pursuant to this announcement," the spokesperson continued.
They added that it is the "the responsibility of the UK government for the respect of the international obligations it has entered into".
"The Protocol is the one and only solution we have found with the UK to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement."
Vice-president of the EU Commission Maros Sefcovic will be speaking with Liz Truss, the UK's Brexit negotiator, this afternoon (Thursday, February 3), to continue discussions regarding a long-term solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"He will recall that controls on goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain are a key element of the Protocol," the spokesperson continued.
"They are necessary for Northern Irish business and citizens to continue to benefit from access to the single market for goods. They are also necessary to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.
"The European Commission remains steadfast in our efforts to facilitate the implementation of the Protocol, while safeguarding the integrity of the EU's Single Market," they concluded.
Keep an eye on Agriland for further updates throughout the day.
