-
EU and UK hold ‘productive’ talks on Northern Ireland crisis

Brexit minister David Frost says momentum has been established in efforts to ease tensions
Talks between the EU and UK to ease tensions in Northern Ireland have been described as “productive” and “constructive” with momentum now established to achieve a solution to the crisis, the Brexit minister, David Frost, has said.
But the EU used the first face-to-face meeting since lockdown between Lord Frost and the European commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, to warn that the outcome needed to be jointly agreed.
There was “no space for unilateral action”, he said, adding the threat of legal action over the UK’s decision last month to delay some of the border checks in Northern Ireland would remain on the table for “as long as necessary”.
Frost and Šefčovič held four hours of talks in Brussels on Thursday night in what the EU described as a “solution-driven atmosphere”, indicating a thaw in relations over Northern Ireland.
The two sides have agreed to intensify talks at all levels in the coming weeks, with meetings with business and civic leaders in Northern Ireland in the next fortnight.
The Brussels summit was designed to inject fresh political impetus into technical talks that have been ongoing over the past three weeks.
Frost said those talks “had begun to clarify the outstanding issues, and some positive momentum had been established”.
But he warned “difficult issues remained and it was important to continue to discuss them”.
The recent unrest in Northern Ireland has added to the pressure, with reports on Friday that a second man had been shot in the legs in an area in Derry where violence broke out over Easter.
After Thursday night’s meeting both sides have indicated the desire for a solution based on the protocol, which the Democratic Unionist party wants scrapped.
The EU also highlighted what appears to be a lack of detail in the roadmap the UK delivered to Brussels two weeks ago on implementation of the protocol.
Šefčovič has asked the UK to come back with “clear end points, deadlines, milestones and the means to measure progress” and reminded the UK that “solutions can only be found through joint actions and through joint bodies”.
The meeting came as Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, held a series of meetings with cabinet and shadow cabinet members in London including talks with Frost, the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, and the Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis.
Louise Haigh, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, is in Belfast on Friday to meet civic and political leaders. Labour has accused the UK government of losing the trust of the unionist community.
source: Lisa O'Carroll
Levant
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!