EU forced into U-turn after trying to block supply of Covid-19 vaccines into Northern Ireland

THE EU has been forced to backtrack on plans to trigger a Brexit deal clause that would have seen border controls established on vaccine doses moving from the Republic into Northern Ireland. 

It comes amid simmering tensions between the EU and UK after pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced it would only be able to deliver 25% of the 100m vaccine doses ordered by the European commission before the end of March. 

AstraZeneca has also refused to divert any of doses of the vaccine from UK plants in an attempt to make up the shortfall. 

In response the European commission announced all vaccine suppliers would be required to seek authorisation of their exports. 

Under the plans, exports of vaccines would be blocked if it was determined that they posed a threat to the timely delivery of doses from companies who have contracts with the EU. 

As part of the plans, the EU had hoped to trigger Article 16 of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement that would allow it to control exports between Northern Ireland and the Republic. 

This comes despite the terms of the Brexit withdrawal deal setting out that all goods should be allowed to move freely between the EU and Northern Ireland, with the region still part of the single market for goods. 

The proposed plan was put in motion as part of an effort to frustrate any potential attempt to use Northern Ireland as a back door to export vaccines to the UK. 

However, those plans now lie in tatters after DUP, Sinn Féin and both the British and Irish governments reacted with anger and concern to the proposals. 

The European commission walked back on proposal for the vaccine border after its president, Ursula von der Leyen, spoke directly to both the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Irish Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. 

Johnson and Martin had earlier held what a No.10 spokesperson described as a “constructive discussion” on the matter. 

“The PM set out his concerns about the EU’s use of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and what these actions may mean for the two communities in Northern Ireland,” they said. 

“The PM stressed the UK’s enduring commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and said the EU must urgently clarify its intentions and what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured. 

“The PM stressed the UK’s commitment to working together with other countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic.” 

The European commission  later confirmed fresh plans would be drawn up for an export control mechanism that would “ensure that the Ireland/Northern Ireland protocol is unaffected”. 

“The commission is not triggering the safeguard clause,” the commission said. “Should transits of vaccines and active substances toward third countries be abused to circumvent the authorisation system, the EU will consider using all the instruments at its disposal.” 

Martin described the change of direction as a “welcome decision.”   

The EU’s attempts at blocking the supply of Covid-19 vaccines into the region drew strong criticism from parties across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland. 

Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster was among those to condemn the plan, branded the EU’s triggering of Article 16 of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol an “incredible act of hostility”. 

“By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner – over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives,” she said. 

“At the first opportunity, the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the coronavirus vaccine” 

Deputy First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill expressed similar concerns describing the move as “totally ill judged” on social media. 

“Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently,” she added. 

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the plan was “a grave error of judgment that undermines the work that has taken place over the last five years to defend the interests of people on this island.” 

“I am a proud European because I believe in co-operation, compromise and solidarity across national borders. This decision sadly places the commission at odds with those values,” he added. 

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken felt the EU had let Northern Ireland down.

“For weeks now we have been told that Article 16 cannot be invoked accompanied by all sorts of feeble excuses for not doing so. The EU has unilaterally blown that concept out of the water by invoking Article 16.” 

"Despite EU claims that they always acted in the best interests of Northern Ireland, when push came to shove, the EU looked after itself.” 

Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry also reacted with fury to the idea.

“We don’t need a vaccine war, and other alternatives exist for the EU to manage its vaccine supply," he said.

“The situation in Northern Ireland is already fragile and we should not be placed at the centre of this dispute.” 

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister, meanwhile, said the EU was showing its “callous” true colours. 

He said: “This afternoon’s invocation of Article 16 of the protocol to inhibit exports of Covid vaccines from the EU to Northern Ireland is the most telling illustration imaginable that for the EU the protocol is a plaything to be exploited when it suits its selfish interests. 

“The idea that the EU cares anything for Northern Ireland or its people is exposed as utterly bogus.”