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European Commission warns UK if it renegotiates Northern Ireland protocol

The Xinhua reported, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic on Friday warned of "serious consequences" if the United Kingdom (UK) sought to renegotiate the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Following talks with the UK's Brexit Minister David Frost on how goods can be shipped between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, Sefcovic called for more sincerity from the UK side.
"Until today, we have seen no move at all from the UK side," Sefcovic said at a press conference following the meeting. "I find this disappointing and once again I urge the UK government to engage with us sincerely."

Sefcovic said: "We hear a lot about Article 16 at the moment. Let there be no doubt that triggering Article 16 -- to seek the renegotiation of the Protocol -- would have serious consequences."
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He added: "Serious for Northern Ireland, as it would lead to instability and unpredictability. And serious also for EU-UK relations in general, as it would mean a rejection of EU efforts to find a consensual solution to the implementation of the protocol."
Invoking Article 16 of the Protocol would allow the UK to reconsider the lack of a border with Ireland if it believes it is causing serious economic difficulties. It could also suspend customs checks across the Irish Sea and this may threaten the European Single Market.
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Sefcovic said the Commission had proposed a whole new model for how goods can be moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, creating a sort of express lane that could cut customs-related red tape by half.
He said: "A significant range of retail goods would also benefit from simplified certification. This would result in a reduction of up to 80 percent of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks."
Source: xinhua
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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.”
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