Activities of Seán KELLY related to 2020/2202(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation report on the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU - The Windsor Framework (debate)
Opinions (1)
OPINION on the implementation report on the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU
Amendments (18)
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland (the Protocol) is the only solution found with the UK, after four years of intense negotiations, to address the specific consequences for Ireland and Northern Ireland of the UK’s decision to leave the EU single market and the customs union, and to ensure the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, the functioning of the all-island economy and the integrity of the EU’s single market;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement, notably the Protocol and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), constitute a common framework for the UK’s trading relationship with the EU, andmeaning that implementation challenges under the Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol are therefore inextricably linked to the TCA, and could have far-reaching implications for the broader trading EU-UK relationship;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the Joint Committee proposed, under the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, a number of aspects related to the Protocol. This was done in order to address the practical problems associated with the implementation of the Protocol, within the so-called grace periods. The United Kingdom has gone against its international obligations and its obligations of transparency as it has unilaterally extended these grace periods;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas, as a result of this unilateral extension, a number of central aspects of the Protocol are not being implemented;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU has resulted in trade and supply chain disruptions and rising costs for traders in various sectors, investors and industry due to transportation shortages, shipping delays and customs border commotion; notes that this has resulted in an overall decline in the UK’s trade with the EU, in stark contrast to trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which has increased significantly since the Protocol began operating in January 2021;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that the eighteen months of its operation have demonstrated that the Protocol is, in several important respects, successfully serving its purpose on the island of Ireland, including ensuring that complex supply chains and trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can continue to operate;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that the Protocol places Northern Ireland in a unique position by granting access to goods produced in Northern Ireland to both the EU’s single market and the UK’s internal market; notes that the majority of Members of the Legislative Assembly in Northern Ireland were elected on platforms supportive of the Protocol on 5 May 20225 May 2022, express support for retaining the Protocol, in some form, as the framework for governing trading arrangements in Northern Ireland; and regrets that a Northern Ireland Executive has yet to be formed owing to minority opposition to the Protocol;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out that that ongoing uncertainty regarding the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are harmful and detrimental to business; observes that investment into Northern Ireland is declining and because of this, the advantages that could come about as a result of dual market access provided by the Protocol are being destroyed;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Acknowledges that businesses in Northern Ireland will be under more pressure because they will have to deal with differences between UK and EU policies; notes that they will be operating under both EU and UK policies in a range of areas; recognises that this will create many problems for businesses and will possibly affect competition;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Highlights that non- implementation of the Protocol with regards to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland poses risks to the integrity and functioning of the Single Market and Customs Union; notes that such a risk undermines the EU vis-à-vis other trading partners in as much as it could cast doubt as to the legitimacy of the origin of EU products and the extent to which the EU can offer flexibilities regarding market access to third countries;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates the consistent EU position that the Protocol will not be renegotiated and highlights that EU Member States and institutions remain united in this view; points out that solutions to the implementation challenges associated with the Protocol are reachable within the framework of the agreement, and that renegotiation would only further increase legal uncertainty for businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the EU has always sought pragmatic solutions to address implementation challenges experienced by stakeholders in Northern Ireland, and notably through far reaching proposals put to the UK in October 2021 aimed at lessening the impact of Brexit in Northern Ireland; regrets that the UK Government has not earnestly engaged with the EU on these proposals thus far;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Underlines that the EU remains open to discussions with the UK Government towards finding common solutions within the framework of the Protocol that can enable its sustainable long-term operation. Welcomes the resumption of technical discussions between the EU and UK and expresses hope that technical discussions will lead to common solutions;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores the publication on 13 June 2022 of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill by the UK; recalls that such unilateral actions by the UK is in violation of international law, contributes to economic and political uncertainty in Northern Ireland, and undermines the relationship between the EU and the UK; calls on the UK Parliament not to adopt the bill and on the UK Government to engage constructively with the Commission to address practical trading issues within the legal framework of the Protocolin order to arrive at a negotiated outcome; emphasises that the perspectives of Northern Irish citizens and business should be engaged in this process.
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Strongly rRegrets the UK’s lack of political will and failure to act in good faith and in compliance with its commitments under the Protocol; regrets, in particular, the lack of support given to the EU staff in charge of monitoring customs checks in the Irish Sea, the insufficient access to UK customs data and the successive unilateral grace periods that have undermined border checks, in clear breach of the Protocol; Acknowledges and welcomes recent reports on progress regarding the sharing of real-time customs data between the EU and UK relating to the movement of goods across the Irish Sea, via the UK government’s EU Access System.
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Expresses strong concerns about the recently proposedconcern regarding the progress of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, whereby the UK Government insists on unilaterally disapplying provisions of the Protocol; recalls that a bilateral agreement cannot be changed unilaterally; calls on the UK Government to immediately withdraw this proposal, refrain from unilateral action and fully implement the agreements that it has signed; Expresses hope that a joint solution can be reached between the EU and UK regarding post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland; Notes that, according to recent polling, the majority of those living in Northern Ireland have a preference for a joint agreement, rather than UK unilateral action, in this regard; Welcomes the resumption of technical talks between the EU and UK.
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls the unilateral declaration made by the UK Government, in the context of the Protocol, concerning the operation of the ‘Democratic consent in Northern Ireland’ provision in a manner consistent with the Good Friday Agreement; underlines that, in accordance with that unilateral declaration, ‘democratic consent’ to the Protocol does not necessarily require cross-community support, but rather must be provided the Protocol fully recognises the constitutional position of Northern Ireland and the principle of consent as set out in the Good Friday Agreement, and provides for confirmation in due time by the majority of the Northern Ireland Assembly; recalls that in the most recent elections in Northern Ireland, a clear majority of voters voted for parties that supported the Protocol;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its opposition to any renegotiation of the Protocol; welcomes the proposals made by the Commission to find reasonable and flexible solutions for the smooth implementation of the Protocol and urges the UK Government to engage constructively vis-à-vis these efforts through the Joint Committee;