Biden hopes to visit the UK to take part in events marking the 25th anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday agreement that put an end to an ethno-nationalist armed conflict in Northern Ireland, British press reported, citing diplomatic sources.
At the same time, the US president, who has Irish roots and professes the Catholic faith, is pressuring London and Brussels to reach an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol. If the parties fail to agree in time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will reportedly replace Biden during the state visit to the UK.
As part of the Brexit agreement that went into force in January 2021, there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but under the Protocol all goods and animal-based products coming from the rest of the British territories must be checked upon arrival to ensure their compatibility with EU sanitary regulations.
President Joe Biden speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Dec. 8, 2022
© AP Photo / Susan Walsh
London has argued that the Protocol is not working, as it causes delays and interruptions to goods moving between the UK and Northern Ireland, and irritates unionists, who believe their place within the country could be affected, thus threatening the Good Friday Agreement.
On June 13, the British government introduced a bill revising the change in the provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol. In particular, London announced its intention to create a "green channel" for goods moving from the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland, change tax rules and deprive the European Court of its role of the sole arbitrator in disputes. The UK explained its decision by the desire to prevent the appearance of empty shelves in Northern Irish grocery stores.
The bill has caused discontent on the part of the EU. The European Commission has launched proceedings, citing violations by the UK of agreements reached under Brexit.