Brexit: Lord Frost accuses EU of 'ill will' over UK exit

The UK's lead Brexit minister has called on the EU to "shake off any remaining ill will" over the UK's decision to leave the organisation.

Lord Frost accused the EU of having "significantly undermined" post-Brexit measures in Northern Ireland with its threat to block Covid vaccine exports.

He insisted the UK's unilateral move to extend grace periods on border checks was legal under the Brexit trade deal.

The EU says it is not, and it is preparing to launch a legal challenge.

EU Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič has called it a "violation" of the parts of the Brexit withdrawal deal relating to Northern Ireland.

But Lord Frost insisted it was a "temporary" step to minimise disruption at the border caused by the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the Cabinet Office minister said the measures were justified by the "fragile" situation in Northern Ireland.

"They are about protecting the everyday lives of people in Northern Ireland, making sure they can receive parcels and buy the usual groceries from the supermarket.

"Without this threat of disruption, we can continue our discussions with the EU to resolve difficulties arising from the Protocol constructively," he added.

Northern Ireland has remained a part of the EU's single market for goods, so products arriving from Great Britain undergo EU import procedures.

Both sides agreed the arrangement as part of the Brexit withdrawal deal, to avoid the need for border checks between NI and the Republic of Ireland.

But it has led to disruption to some food supplies and online deliveries in Northern Ireland, and increasing tension between the UK and the EU.

Earlier this week, the UK extended a grace period on new checks on food products from the end of March to October, without the prior agreement of the EU.

It then delayed the introduction of similar checks on parcels, which had been due to come in on 1 April, until the same month.

The logistics industry had said it was not ready to deal with that volume of new administration.

The grace periods mean procedures and checks will not yet be fully applied.

Lord Frost said the move was "consistent" with parts of the Brexit deal which oblige both sides to implement the Protocol in "good faith".

And he blamed the EU for increasing tensions over the issue with its now-abandoned threat to use the Protocol to control Covid vaccine exports.

The EU announced the move in January, saying it would prevent Northern Ireland becoming a backdoor for jabs to be sent to the UK mainland.

But it later abandoned the plans, following condemnation from London, Dublin and Belfast.

Lord Frost said the threat had "significantly undermined cross-community confidence in the Protocol".

He added he wanted to work with the EU towards "common goals" after the UK formally cut legal ties at the end of the Brexit transition earlier this year.

"I hope they will shake off any remaining ill will towards us for leaving, and instead build a friendly relationship, between sovereign equals," he added.

Lord Frost, who negotiated the UK's Brexit trade deal with the EU, took up a new role overseeing the relationship with the bloc earlier this year.