| UPDATED: 17:02, Tue, Feb 23, 2021
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Brussels requests that the Trade and Cooperation Agreement remains provisionally applied until April 30 because of holdups in its attempt to translate the 1,240-word document into the bloc’s more than 20 languages. A Government spokesman expressed “disappointment” at the EU’s failure to prepare for the European Parliament to vote on the pact by the previously agreed deadline, February 28. They said: “Today we have agreed to extend the deadline for the EU to ratify the deal until 30 April.
| UPDATED: 20:08, Mon, Feb 22, 2021
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Dutch socialist Kati Piri told an online event that the European Parliament has everything in place to ratify the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement this week. The process is currently held up because the European Council and Commission are still translating the 1,246-page treaty into the bloc’s more than 20 official languages. Eurocrats were meant to have completed this task before February 28, a deadline agreed with the UK, so MEPs could cast the deciding vote to greenlight the future relationship pact.
| UPDATED: 19:07, Mon, Feb 22, 2021
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Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the bloc may revisit the rules if the UK agrees to adopt the same level of food standards. Lorry drivers have had their sandwiches confiscated at the EU’s borders, fishermen have been unable to export UK shellfish and plants with British soil on them have been blocked from crossing into the bloc with Brussels red tape to blame. These EU bans have also caused significant trade disruptions between Northern Ireland and the British mainland as part of the post-Brexit plan to avoid a hard border.
A spokesman said: “We are fully committed to the Good Friday Belfast Agreement and to the proper implementation of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland – protecting the gains of the peace process, protecting and maintaining stability and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.”
EU and UK officials are due to meet this week to discuss potential solutions for ending the tensions in the region.
Customs officials were forced to withdraw from Northern Ireland ports after threats to their safety.
To keep the Irish border open, the area effectively remains part of the EU s single market and some checks are now made on some products arriving from the rest of the UK.
Mr Blok told Dutch MPs that their nation’s fishermen had complained about a number of British regulations that “deviate” from the bloc’s rulebook.
He wrote: “On January 1, the UK issued temporary fishing authorisations, and since January 22, fishermen have received final fishing authorisations from the UK, allowing them access to UK waters.
“Although the UK has largely adopted the existing European legislation and regulations for fishing, there are also points where the UK deviates.”
Mr Blok explained that new “conditions” insisted by the British, such as “which panels are required in nets”, have been difficult to understand.
European boats are struggling to adapt to post-Brexit fishing rules (Image: GETTY)