[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by jonbxx

So when the Government signed off on the 6 months grace period, do you feel it was done with the full intention of doing the work in 6 months or did the Government have no intention of fulfilling that promise and was going to take 2 years anyway?

If it was the first and there have been issues with getting everything in place, surely the sensible option would be to go through the Joint Committee set up to oversee and monitor the application of the treaty rather than just doing it. Let's remember that the Government has not requested an extension, it has told the EU it is taking one. It seems unnecessarily belligerent.

If it was the second and the UK had no intention of fulfilling its' obligations, then infringement procedures are probably justified.

I can't answer your question as to the Guvmin's intentions, Jon. They shouldn't have signed the 6 months grace period and should have walked away instead.

A unilateral action by the UK triggers infringement proceedings; that's how the EU works. Seen from the UK side in the context of its NI problems, I don't see how the Guvmin could have done anything other than what it's doing. The UK should have walked away.