Britain postponed controls on goods on the border with Northern Ireland

The United Kingdom is postponing the introduction of border controls on goods leaving the country for Northern Ireland. Brexit Minister David Frost announced it on Monday. According to him, the rules introduced by the United Kingdom at the end of last year with regard to the termination of membership in the European Union (EU) will continue to apply at the border with Northern Ireland. The postponement will provide "space for possible further discussions" in order to overcome disagreements in relations with the EU regarding the terms of the Brexit agreement, Frost added. Relations between the United Kingdom and the EU are complicated by the trade regime on the border with Northern Ireland, which is the only part of the United Kingdom to have a land border with the European Union of 27. The Brexit Agreement presupposes that part of the trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom must be subject to customs controls. The aim of this measure is to prevent British goods from entering the EU common market without customs clearance, while guaranteeing the continued free movement of persons between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as part of the European Community. Border controls on goods have been criticized by Northern Irish Unionists, which have weakened Northern Ireland's ties with the rest of the United Kingdom. One of the deferred measures, which is due to take effect on 1 October, provides for a ban on imports of selected meat products from England, Scotland and Wales to Northern Ireland. The so-called sausage war has so far been the most significant element in the dispute between the United Kingdom and the EU, raising concerns that Northern Irish shops will not be able to sell British sausages, which are a traditional part of local gastronomy.