“She noted that the current situation is causing unacceptable disruptions to trade and has created a two-tier system in which people in Northern Ireland are not treated in the same way as everyone else in the UK,” said a foreign ministry spokesman.
“The foreign minister reiterated that the UK’s proposals to amend the protocol … would ensure the removal of trade barriers between Britain and Northern Ireland, while protecting the EU’s single market.
“The foreign minister has outlined why the EU’s proposals would take us back by creating more checks and documents.
“Vice President Shefcovic confirmed that there is no room for extending the negotiating mandate with the EU or introducing new proposals to reduce the overall level of trade friction.
“The Foreign Minister noted this with regret and said that the situation in Northern Ireland was a matter of internal peace and security for the United Kingdom and if the EU did not show the necessary flexibility to help resolve these issues, then as a responsible government we had no choice in addition to acting. “
A source from Whitehall told The Telegraph: “Liz maintained her position in the conversation and pointed out that if the EU really cares about peace, stability and the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, then they can certainly show more flexibility.
“International treaties are constantly changing, why can’t they be part of the Protocol?”
“Green and red sails”
The UK has proposed a system of green and red sails to minimize the number of checks required for goods traveling from the UK to Northern Ireland.
According to the plan, products destined for the province will be subject to minimal customs controls, which will ease the burden of business documents.
Only those consignments that are considered to be at high risk of movement in the Republic of Ireland will have to go through the full range of EU checks.
Brussels is open to the idea, but the two sides cannot agree on how to classify which goods go into the green or red bar.
The United Kingdom has accused Eurocrats of being too cautious, allowing shipments to be subject to light scrutiny, creating an unbearable burden on business.
Northern Ireland Minister Connor Burns said this meant that companies delivering food from the UK to Ulster had to obtain veterinary certificates for boxes of shortbread.
“When you get to the point where loading containers for Sainsbury’s requires the same level of inspection when there are no Sainsbury supermarkets in the Republic of Ireland, because the goods going to the Republic of Ireland are something to go wrong,” he said.
Sasha Berenji, managing director of Marks and Spencer in Ireland, said shipments now take 24 hours longer than before to be processed, “which obviously had a product with a shelf life for our customers” in Northern Ireland.
The Telegraph understands that the decision whether to submit legislation to repeal the protocol can be made as early as Monday.
If the government does so, the EU has promised to react quickly by resuming legal action against the UK and possibly even severing the trade agreement.
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