Did the UK Really Break International Trade Law?
The new UK Internal Market Bill may have led the UK to break an international trade law. So what does this mean for the country, and how will the EU take action?
Although Brexit talks have been ongoing for several years now, there does not seem to be a viable solution in sight. The situation actually worsened in recent months, when the UK announced the new Internal Market Bill. So what exactly is this bill, and how is it making the UK break international trade law?
The UK Internal Market Bill
The UK Internal Market Bill was passed back in September by the UK House of Commons, despite strong objections and criticisms. It was designed to govern how goods and services will be regulated after the UK leaves the EU’s Common Market. Primarily, the bill seeks to ensure that there is compatibility in rules and laws across the four nations of the UK to make sure free trade and the movement of workers continues unobstructed. Because devolution in the UK began after it joined the European common market, these are issues that have never been considered before.
Does the Bill Break International Law?
Yes, it does. The EU Withdrawal Agreement was passed in January 2020, and it included the Northern Ireland Protocol, which essentially prevents any hard border on the island of Ireland, so goods and people can cross over freely. However, parts of the Internal Market Bill would allow ministers to override the January agreement. The UK does not want goods checks between Northern Ireland and mainland UK. The new bill unilaterally declares that the UK has the power to override these goods checks in the Irish Sea, which could lead to goods checks along the border with the Republic of Ireland instead.
Will There be Consequences?
The EU has already launched legal action against the UK, although not much progress has been made. If no significant progress takes place soon, the UK will either have to relent on their objection to goods checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK or break international law. Avoiding the potentially disastrous consequences of a no-deal Brexit may not be possible after all.
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