Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of EU officials at Northern Ireland ports; and what agreement they reached with the EU about the (1) status, (2) powers, and (3) purpose, of those officials.

A small number of EU officials are present at Northern Ireland ports, in line with the arrangements provided for under Article 12 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Union representatives have a right to supervise the enforcement of the Northern Ireland Protocol, as opposed to physically conducting the checks.

Article 12(2) of the Protocol establishes that EU officials have the right to be present during activities of the authorities of the United Kingdom, limited to the implementation and application of provisions of Union law under the terms of the Protocol, and activities related to the implementation and application of Article 5 of the Protocol.

Article 12(2) also includes that the United Kingdom shall provide, upon request, all relevant information relating to such activities, and that Union representatives may request UK authorities to carry out control measures in individual cases for duly stated reasons.

Decision No 6/2020 of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on arrangements under Article 12(2) of the Protocol establishes the details of these arrangements. These arrangements do not provide for the EU to establish a mission or embassy in Northern Ireland.