British official says UK-EU relations 'bumpy' after Brexit

Britain’s Brexit minister predicted Monday that relations between the U.K. and the European Union would continue to be “bumpy” amid tensions over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

David Frost said talks with the EU on ironing out the problems were “not hugely productive” so far.

“I think it will be a bit bumpy for a time, but there is a lot of business to be done,” he told the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee.

Since Britain made its final economic break from the 27-nation bloc at the end of 2020, the two sides have sparred over EU boats’ fishing rights in U.K. waters and new trade arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Post-Brexit trade rules have imposed customs and border checks on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. The arrangement was designed to avoid checks between Northern Ireland and Ireland, an EU member, because an open Irish border has helped underpin the peace process that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

But the new arrangements have angered Northern Ireland’s British unionists, who say they weaken ties with the rest of the U.K. and impose a heavy burden on businesses.

Britain has unilaterally decided to delay bringing in some of the checks on agri-food products, and the EU has launched legal action in response.

Frost said there was “a degree of unsettledness” in Northern Ireland about the arrangements, and urged the EU to show "pragmatism."

The bloc argues that Britain must abide by the legally binding treaty — negotiated by Frost — that it agreed to just last year.

Frost said the U.K. and the EU needed to make progress before the summer, traditionally a time of heightened tension in Northern Ireland, when Protestant groups hold large marches.

Tensions over the new trade rules were a contributing factor to a week of street violence in Northern Ireland cities last month that saw youths pelt police with bricks, fireworks and firebombs.

“Coronavirus restrictions are coming to an end, we all know that the late spring and summer in Northern Ireland can sometimes be turbulent … so we have to take that reality into account,” Frost said.

“I would like to feel that we were making progress with the EU in good time.”

MADRID (AP) — British and Spanish foreign ministers said a new round of talks held Friday over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain’s exit from the European Union were productive and significant progress was made.

The meeting was between Spain's José Manuel Albares, Britain’s David Cameron and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo also attended. It was the first time representatives from the four areas had come together for talks on the issue.

In a statement after the meeting, the parties said "discussions took place in a constructive atmosphere, with significant progress achieved.

“General political lines have been agreed (on), including on airport, goods and mobility. Negotiations will continue over the coming weeks to conclude the EU-UK Agreement,” it added.

All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June.

Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. Talks on a deal to ensure people and goods can keep flowing over the Gibraltar-Spain border have made halting progress in the 19 rounds of negotiations so far, but both Spanish and U.K. officials have recently expressed optimism about a deal.

In Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, 96% of voters in Gibraltar supported remaining in the EU. The tiny territory on Spain's southern tip depends greatly on access to the EU market for its 34,000 inhabitants.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713, but Spain has maintained its sovereignty claim ever since. Relations concerning the Rock, as it is popularly referred to in English, have had their ups and downs over the centuries.

A major sticking point has been who controls Gibraltar’s airport, which under the proposed free-movement deal would be an external border of the EU. The U.K. and Gibraltar have resisted Spain’s insistence that Spanish border officials be based at the airport, which is also home to a Royal Air Force base.

The British Foreign Office said Thursday that while it did not expect a final agreement Friday, "getting senior political figures from the UK, European Commission, Spain and Gibraltar in one room is significant.”

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless reported from London.