U.K and E.U have both taken a fundamentally flawed approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Lord Jay of Ewelme, committee chairman, said it was an absolute necessity that the UK and EU urgently worked together to ensure Northern Ireland did not become a “permanent casualty of the Brexit process”.
The peers said there had been a lack of clarity, transparency and readiness on the part of the UK government.
The EU was described as lacking “balance, understanding and flexibility”.
The committee said both sides needed to be prepared to compromise.
Lord Jay of Ewelme, committee chairman, said it was an “absolute necessity” that the UK and EU urgently worked together to ensure Northern Ireland did not become a “permanent casualty of the Brexit process”.
He added that the political qualities of patience, dialogue and “most of all, trust”, which had been seen during the Northern Ireland peace process, needed to come to the fore.
The UK and EU agreed the Northern Ireland Protocol in 2019 as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
It prevents a hard border in Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU single market for goods.
It began operating in January and has led to difficulties and increased costs when transporting goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Unionists say it also undermines Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
