A UK Government spokesperson said:
“We have received the letters from the European Commission and
will respond in due course.
“We’ve been clear that the measures we have taken are temporary,
operational steps intended to minimise disruption in Northern
Ireland and protect the everyday lives of the people living
there. They are lawful and part of a progressive and good faith
implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"Low key operational measures like these are well precedented and
common in the early days of major international treaties. In some
areas, the EU also seems to need time to implement the detail of
our agreements. This is a normal process when implementing new
treaties and not something that should warrant legal action.
“These aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol have only been in
force for 70 days and we saw the challenges faced by supermarkets
and others in the early weeks of January as a result of the Joint
Committee agreement only being reached in December. That's why it
is right to provide a proper further period for them to plan
ahead, particularly in the current circumstances of a global
pandemic.
“All sides need to keep in mind the fact that the Protocol
depends on cross-community consent and confidence if it is to
work and deliver our common objective of protecting the Belfast
(Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions, North-South and
East-West.
“We look to continue discussing the issues within the Joint
Committee framework in a constructive fashion.”
