EU Chief Junks UK Bid To Renegotiate N. Ireland Brexit Deal

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen roundly rejected British overtures to go back to the drawing board on Brexit agreements for Northern Ireland following a phone call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

"The European Union (EU) will continue to be creative and flexible within the protocol framework. But we will not renegotiate," the chief of the EU's executive branch posted on Twitter on Thursday. "We must jointly ensure stability and predictability in Northern Ireland," she added.

On Wednesday, British Brexit minister David Frost said the Northern Ireland Protocol - agreed by London and Brussels as part of Britain's withdrawal from the bloc - was threatening peace in the British-administered territory and set out proposals for changes.

Johnson's spokesperson said he had urged the bloc to "to look at those proposals seriously" during the call. Doing so would allow "reasonable, practical solutions" and help improve British-EU relations.

The British leader also spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, with the two agreeing to stay in touch, the same spokesperson said. Under the protocol, Northern Ireland remains bound by EU customs and common market rules, despite being part of the United Kingdom.

The aim is to keep open the border with the Republic of Ireland and uphold a peace deal for the island, but as a consequence, goods have to be checked between Britain and Northern Ireland instead.

The new system - agreed by the central government in London but condemned by leaders in Belfast - is causing major headaches for consumers and producers, and fueling political tensions.

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