UK’s Johnson warns European Union over post-Brexit trade

The threat by Johnson seemed to break a temporary truce in a war of words over part  of  the  Brexit  deal  that covers  border  issues with Northern  Ireland,  the  focus  for   tensions   since   Britain   completed  its  exit  from  the EU late last year.

Despite  U.S.  President Joe Biden encouraging  them  to find  a  compromise,  Johnson used  a G7  summit  to  indicate  no  softening in his position on what is called   the   Northern   Ireland   protocol   that   covers   border   issues  with  the  British  province.

“I think if the protocol continues  to  be  applied  in  this  way,  then  we  will  obviously  not hesitate to invoke Article 16,”  he  added,  referring  to  a  safeguard  clause  that  allows  either side to take measures if they believe the agreement is leading  to  economic,  societal  or environmental difficulties.

The  European  Union  told  the  British  government  once  again  that  it  must  implement  the  Brexit  deal  in  full  and  introduce checks on certain goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland.  Britain  repeated  its  call  for  urgent  and  innovative  solutions  to  ease  the friction