The EU’s decision to activate a clause in the Brexit deal to impose controls on the export of Covid vaccines from the bloc to Northern Ireland has been condemned as dangerous and undesirable by leaders in the north and south of the Irish border.
Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke directly with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday evening to express what sources called “deep discontent” with the activation of Article 16 of the Irish Protocol North.
The article was accepted in the original Withdrawal Agreement and gives both sides the power to unilaterally introduce asset controls if failure to comply with this rule could cause “serious economic, social or environmental hardship.”
It is intended as a ‘last resort’, but has been used as an emergency brake by the UK government using Northern Ireland as a back door to secure the EU’s supply of covid vaccine in the event lock.
The move came amid a growing dispute over the allocation of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccines after the company announced delays in its EU operations.
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Irish government sources told reporters the decision was “completely unnecessary” and had “explosive political implications”.
Quick guide
Vaccines: How effective are each and how many has the UK ordered?
Pfizer / BioNTech
Country United States / Germany
Efficiency 95% one week after the second shot. Pfizer says it’s only 52% after the first dose, but the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) says it can increase to 90% after 21 days.
The UK has ordered 40 million doses and is now implementing them.
Dose Clinical trials included two doses 21 days apart. The UK is extending this period to 12 weeks.
Oxford / AstraZeneca
Country UK
Efficiency 70.4% 14 days after receiving the second dose. It can be up to 90% effective when given as a half dose followed by a full dose. No serious illness or hospitalization in a person who received the vaccine.
The UK has ordered 100 million doses and distribution has started.
Dose Two, four to 12 weeks apart
Modern
Country WE
Efficiency The results of the phase 3 trial suggest a score of 94.1%.
The UK has ordered 17 million doses, to be delivered in March or April.
Dose Two, 28 days apart
Novavax
Country WE
Efficiency Phase 3 trials suggest 89.3%.
60 million doses ordered by the United Kingdom, the distribution of which is expected mainly in the second half of the year.
Dose Of
Janssen (part of Johnson & Johnson)
Country WE
Efficiency 72% in preventing mild to moderate cases in US trials, but 66% effectiveness was seen in international trials. 85% effective against serious illness and 100% protection against hospitalization and death.
30 million doses ordered by the UK
Dose: One, which makes it unique among Covid vaccines with phase 3 results to date
Arlene Foster, Prime Minister of Stormont, called the decision to use Article 16 to stop the unlimited flow of vaccines from the EU to the region as “an act of incredible hostility”. He added that it was a “despicable” move that would create the hard border on the island of Ireland that the Northern Ireland protocol was supposed to prevent.
Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labor Party, called the decision a “serious mistake”.
The European Commission said the measure was “justified as a safeguard measure in accordance with Article 16 of this protocol to avoid serious social difficulties due to the lack of supply which threatens to disrupt the orderly implementation of the campaigns. vaccination in the Member States’.
It is believed the decision was made without consulting the UK or Irish government.
A spokesperson for No 10 said the UK “urgently seeks an explanation from the European Commission” en route.
“The UK has legally binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and I would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the execution of these contracts “said the spokesperson, adding that the UK has” reiterated the importance of preserving the benefits of the Belfast / Good Friday deal “.
Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, spoke to his counterpart on the UK-EU Joint Brexit Implementation Committee on Friday evening to tell him the government is “carefully considering” its next steps.
An EU diplomat said he was shocked by the measure and hoped it could be revoked within the next 24 hours. “Sometimes the fastest way to recover is to admit your mistakes,” they said.
A high-level EU diplomatic source said: “This is an extraordinary error of judgment and shows a complete misunderstanding of the Protocol and Article 16, which should only be used as a last resort. There was no discussion about it and it came out of nowhere.
They warned that tensions over the Northern Ireland protocol had increased over the past fifteen weeks with traders unhappy with the extent of controls on goods traded across the Irish Sea and the controversy over the future troop movements between Great Britain and NI.
“Whatever Brexit we got we knew there would be unintended consequences and these questions go to the heart of the issues, the sensitivities over identity and sovereignty and instead of the EU doing its utmost possible to tackle the vaccine problem with the British. the government decided to use the Northern Ireland protocol.
“Retaliation in this way by using Northern Ireland protocol as football is very dangerous,” they said.
The move immediately added weight to calls from DUP officials in Westminster, including North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, asking the UK to invoke Article 16 to end the protocol on checks at sea. Ireland.
Foster called on Boris Johnson to “crack down” Friday night, including invoking Article 16.
Louise Haigh, the shadow secretary for Northern Ireland, said the EU’s move was “deeply destabilizing and undermined the enormous efforts being made to make the protocol work.”
Foster said: “By activating Article 16 in this way, the European Union has once again demonstrated its willingness to use Northern Ireland when it suits its interests but in the most despicable way. : instead of providing a vaccine designed to save lives. .
“At the earliest opportunity, the EU placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on the coronavirus vaccine supply chain.”
Original notice: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/29/eu-moves-to-stop-northern-ireland-being-used-as-a-vaccine-backdoor-to-britain