Michel Barnier: No renegotiation of NI protocol
The EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, says changes the UK wants to make to the Northern Ireland protocol have caused him to lose trust because what is at stake is not goods or trade but peace.
The protocol was very precisely negotiated by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself less than two years ago, Mr Barnier told Hardtalk’s Zeinab Badawi.
While the EU was willing to find operational and technical solutions for goods like medicines, there would be no renegotiation, he said.
UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost has called for further negotiations over the Northern Ireland protocol which seeks to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
You can see the Hardtalk interview in full on Thursday 30 September 2021 on BBC World News and the BBC News Channel and on BBCiPlayer (UK only).
