BRUSSELS – The European Union said Wednesday that Britain's “unilateral action" on trade rules will breach international law and is threatening legal action as post-Brexit tensions continue to escalate between the two sides.
Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič said in a statement that UK's decision to unilaterally extend a grace period on checks for goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland amounts to “a violation" of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Protocol was designed to ensure an open border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic after Brexit. “This is the second time that the UK government is set to breach international law," Šefčovič said. “This also constitutes a clear departure from the