Unionist parties to pull Stormont break for first time

Unionist parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly will pull the Stormont brakes for the first time to prevent new EU rules on the packaging and labeling of chemicals from being implemented in Northern Ireland.

The break is part of Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal. And Stormont gives the Assembly the power to veto changes to EU laws that apply in Northern Ireland.

It needs the support of at least 30 MLAs from two parties.

All eligible unionist assembly members have backed the DUP motion to put the brakes on.

Once it has been formalized in the Assembly, it is up to the British government to decide whether the break is properly used.

Meanwhile, the Stormont Committee that investigates relevant EU legislation. Published a report on the rules.

It has been unable to reach a view on whether the laws ‘have a significant impact on the day-to-day life of communities in Northern Ireland.’

That finding could affect the government’s view of whether the rule meets the threshold for brake use.

The main condition for this is that it must be shown that the rules “will have a significant effect specific to the everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland” in a way that is liable to be sustained.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said: “This EU regulation introduces a number of new requirements for labels relating to chemical products, including new minimum font sizes and rules around spacing.

“This will make existing labels unusable for most products.

“Critically, products on the market in the UK will not require these changes.

“The Chemical Industries Association (CIA), which represents chemical and pharmaceutical companies across the UK, has assessed that this regulation will have a significant, negative and long-term impact on everyday life in Northern Ireland.”

Stormont’s Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole described the use of the break as “a stunt by the DUP”.

O’Toole said he recognized the problems with the packaging and labeling of chemicals, but said there were huge challenges facing people in Northern Ireland.

“We warned that the so-called Stormont break would be used for partisan purposes and it has proved to be the case,” said the SDLP assembly member.

“Where there are issues with this EU law, we certainly support efforts to streamline and reduce their enforcement and will engage with both the EU and the UK on that basis.”

However, O’Toole added, the idea of ​​the law causing “permanent harm” to the people of Northern Ireland is “unsustainable and wrong”.

“The continued focus on unionist barriers to the detriment of the debate on how we make the most of the opportunities from our position in relation to Europe is deeply disappointing.”

He said his party had brought proposals to Brussels and London that included “ideas on how to increase our voice and input, including on laws like this”.

“It would be useful for our region if the debate could be about more than stunts and obstacles,” O’Toole added.

If the government determines that the break has been properly used, it initiates a process with the EU.

The Joint Committee – the UK-EU body responsible for overseeing the Brexit deal – needs to debate the principle in question.

Once these discussions are complete, the UK Government can either send it back to the Assembly for a cross-community vote, known as an applicability motion, or decide that the rule should not apply in Northern Ireland. .

At this stage the government can still avoid a Stormont vote if it assesses there are “exceptional circumstances”, including an assessment that the rule would not create a new regulatory border between the UK and Northern Ireland. .

If the UK ultimately decides not to adopt the principle, the EU may take “appropriate remedial measures”, which may include measures to address the fact that NI goods have long been subject to full EU law. Can’t comply.

In March, Stormont used a motion to block a new EU rule on the protection of geographical indications (GI) for craft and industrial products.

At the time the government said it had taken note of the Assembly vote and said in October it was “continuing to review the implications.”

The Stormont break was introduced as part of this last year. Windsor Framework.

It gives the Northern Ireland assembly a greater say over how EU rules apply to Northern Ireland – a key demand from the Democratic Unionist Party before it ended its power-sharing boycott.

This framework is the special Brexit deal that applies to Northern Ireland and means it adheres to some EU rules on goods.