Northern Ireland row threatens its Brexit dividend

Northern Ireland row threatens its Brexit dividend

(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.) LONDON - Northern Ireland’s Brexit dividend is under threat. British leaders have recently raised doubts about border arrangements they agreed as part of the country’s departure from the European Union last year. Undermining the mechanism that gives Northern Ireland access to both EU and UK markets could quash its Brexit boom before it gets off the ground. UK minister David Frost reckons the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol, which requires checks on goods arriving from Britain into Northern Ireland, may not be “sustainable for long”. Frost, who led the UK negotiations on the Brexit deal, on Monday blamed excessive documentation requirements on agricultural goods for a “chilling effect” on British businesses trading with Northern Ireland. Delays at ports have already led to bare grocery shelves and enraged pro-British citizens in the region. Northern Ireland relies heavily on the British market. Trade between the two amounted to around 26 billion pounds in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. However, the UK has few credible alternatives. Reneging on the Protocol would breach an international trade agreement. Besides,