Northern Ireland Protocol: USA

(asked on 7th December 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on the Northern Ireland Protocol; and what effect concerns raised by the US administration on the Northern Ireland Protocol and Article 16 have on the Government's negotiating position in respect of EU proposals which would lead to an 80 per cent reduction in checks on food products arriving in Northern Ireland.


Answered by
Ranil Jayawardena Portrait
Ranil Jayawardena
This question was answered on 13th December 2021

As stated on 2nd December by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Member for Portsmouth North, discussions with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol and discussions with the United States on a prospective Free Trade Agreement are two entirely separate issues. We do not see any connection between them and will not perpetuate such false narratives.

The Secretary of State for International Trade remains in regular contact with her counterpart, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on our bilateral relationship. During their meeting on 20th September, they discussed a range of topics including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and they met again on 7th December.

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