Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has welcomed a commitment from the European Commission that the EU will not backtrack from the protections for the Good Friday Agreement contained in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. 

The South Down MP said: 

“The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, has made it clear once again that the EU will not backtrack from the commitments made in the Withdrawal Agreement and Irish Protocol to avoid any hardening of the border and to protect the Good Friday Agreement. 

“Those protections have already been agreed with the British government in an international agreement and the EU has repeatedly said it will honour its commitments. 

“On the other side, the British government has announced its intention to break international law and in the process, abandon what has been agreed and risk undermining the Good Friday Agreement. They cannot be allowed to do so. 

“The British government needs to honour its commitments and obligations and implement what has already been agreed to protect our economy, avoid a hard border and protect the Good Friday Agreement.”