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The British are unhappy with the meeting of Charles III with the head of the EC: why the aged monarch angered his subjects

Date: March 29, 2024 Time: 01:30:30

Meeting of the King of Great Britain Charles III and the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Photo: REUTERS

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced an agreement reached with the European Union to change the protocol on Northern Ireland, signed as part of the Brexit agreement. The European press immediately described this agreement as almost historic. But for many, who were not immersed in the subtleties of the problem, a natural question arose: so who ended up “outperforming” whom: Brussels, London, or vice versa?

Elena Ananyeva, director of the Center for British Studies at the European Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, helped KP understand this site:

– Rather, the British can take advantage of this agreement. In 2019, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol with Brussels to regulate trade relations with the EU after Britain left the EU. Under this protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the customs sphere of the European Union, since the 1998 Belfast Agreement, which put an end to the armed confrontation between Protestants and Catholics, provides for an open border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. And the customs border between the UK and the EU was drawn along the Irish Sea. That is, goods made in Northern Ireland and destined for the rest of Great Britain still have to clear customs. And goods from the UK, destined for Northern Ireland only, also go through customs. This, of course, makes it difficult for Northern Ireland to trade with the mainland. Like it or not, Northern Ireland was drawn into the Irish economy and consequently into the EU.

– So, London played the situation in your favor?

– If the current agreements, called Windsor because they were concluded near the royal residence, successfully pass the approval process by both parties, the order will be different. British goods bound for Northern Ireland will have “green” lanes through which they will pass without clearing customs. And the goods for the Republic of Ireland (and therefore for the whole EU) will go, respectively, along the “red” corridors. That is, now the situation where there was a customs border within the UK should disappear.

Why couldn’t this have been done before?

– Under Johnson, Brussels opposed such a deal, and Liz Truss, even while she was still Foreign Secretary, declared she was ready to “hand over” the Northern Ireland Protocol, but then the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could not be open, which would nullify the existing fundamental importance of the Belfast Agreement.

“Did everyone just come to their senses now?”

– Let us not forget that April marks the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. And the Americans (let us not forget that Biden has Catholic roots) are extremely interested in solving the problems between Britain and the EU. So this factor must also be taken into account.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Photo: REUTERS

– What does this agreement mean for the political future of Rishi Sunak, after all, this is, in fact, his first “high-profile” victory?

– In early 2025, there are parliamentary elections in the UK, and the Conservatives need to score points now. Until recently, they trailed Labor by around 20 points in the ratings. Of course, the agreement reached adds points to Sunak as leader of his party. But to qualify for a future victory, he must solve his country’s burning economic problems, including a £50 billion budget hole. Strikes have already been announced for March demanding wage increases. With inflation running at 9 percent, Sunak promises, for example, an increase of just 3 percent for doctors. So it’s too early to talk about a resounding victory. Furthermore, it has already created new problems.

– Which?

– After the signing of the “Windsor Concept”, Prime Minister Sunak managed to receive the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen by King Carlos III. In Great Britain, the king passes all parliamentary acts, without interfering in the procedure for their adoption. And the fact that even before the start of the ratification and approval of the current agreements, the monarch accepted their authors, that is, really expressed his support for them, is considered an unacceptable politicization of royal power. The current king, while still a prince, was repeatedly accused, and not without reason, of meddling in political affairs. And here he again clearly “established.”

* This website provides news content gathered from various internet sources. It is crucial to understand that we are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented Read More

Puck Henry
Puck Henry
Puck Henry is an editor for ePrimefeed covering all types of news.
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