Ireland’s deputy PM, Leo Varadkar, said on Monday Britain plans to extend post-Brexit grace periods on imports to Northern Ireland.
He suggested London and Brussels had decided they needed more time for discussion.
Varadkar expected Britain’s move to lead towards lasting solutions, as Ireland is a prominent party in the post-Brexit trade talks.
He said this following a meeting with the British Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove.
The future of Northern Ireland, which Britain rules, was the most argumentative subject in the negotiations after the Brexit.
Britain agreed to keep some EU rules in Northern Ireland and accept checks on goods arriving there to avoid harder borders on the Island.
However, London later said the arrangement is not working and wants to change it, while the EU refused to renegotiate.
Authorities in London and Brussels are trying to avert an escalating full-scale trade war.
The EC accepted in July to pause legal action against Britain for changing the protocol that Brussels considers a “violation.”
London determined it would extend grace periods and freeze checks on cross-channel trade, which would thrive within weeks.
According to RTE, “The expectation is that the UK will announce a further extension of the grace periods,” Varadkar said.
This will not be only concerning Northern Ireland, but also imports from the EU and Ireland,” he added.
RTE reported that countries expect the European Commission to observe Britain’s decision instead of retaliating.
However, Varadkar said London and Brussels would have to confine any permanent solution between them to the existing agreement.
Also, he said Gove told him that Britain doesn’t want to withdraw from the protocol, but make it more applicable.
Ireland’s PM, Micheal Martin, said last month he believed the countries could fix the problem politically with the right will.
