Northern Ireland Protocol bill: Peers set to scrutinise it line-by-line

Peers will spend four days scrutinising the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill line-by-line as it moves to its next stage in the House of Lords. 

The Northern Ireland protocol is the Brexit agreement for Northern Ireland that was agreed by the UK and EU in 2019. 

If the bill becomes law it would give the UK government unilateral powers to change the operation and oversight of the protocol. 

The UK has acknowledged this would breach the terms of the deal but say it’s justified on grounds of “necessity” under international law. 

If it becomes law the EU could start fresh infringement proceedings under EU law or trigger the dispute resolution mechanism under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

The protocol keeps Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market for goods, avoiding the need for a hard border with the Irish Republic after Brexit.

But creates a new trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK – something that the EU accepts is causing difficulties for many businesses.