Statement by TUV Comber councillor Stephen Cooper:
“Manufacturing Northern Ireland’s report on the first month of the operation of the Protocol should act as a wakeup call to the danger of the current arrangements to jobs and investment in our Province.
“There used to be a time when protocol fanatics like the Alliance Party claimed that the Protocol offered Northern Ireland “the best of both worlds” as their Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong claimed in October 2019. Now, having called for the “rigorous implementation” of the Protocol, as Alliance and the Greens did, they seem suddenly reluctant to stand over their position.
“Small wonder when we read in the Manufacturing Northern Ireland report that:
- · 44% of firms have reported some negative impact with one in four reporting a significant impact;
- · 23% believe the challenges are likely to persist;
- · 75% of firms are experiencing difficulties with their GB suppliers;
- · 1/3 have difficulty with EU supply chains;
- · 25% have reported a marginal or significant negative impact when it comes to sales to Great Britain and
- · 23% of firms report a negative impact in sales to the EU
“Far from having the best of both worlds as Alliance claimed the cold reality for businesses the length and breadth of Northern Ireland is that the Protocol has left us in the worst of all worlds.
“Alliance called for this and needs to own it – and the economic pain it is causing.
“For our part TUV is clear. Longer lead-in periods and mitigations are mere sticking plasters on what is clearly a disaster for the economy of Northern Ireland.
“Our position remains crystal clear – the sea border must be removed and the protocol has to go.”