And Mr Habib said he and co-litigants – including First Minister Arlene Foster – were keen to see their own legal challenge against the controversial agreement come before the High Court of Northern Ireland next month. The EU launched legal action against Britain in March for unilaterally changing trading arrangements for Northern Ireland which Brussels says are in breach of the Brexit divorce deal struck with London last year.
However, the two sides have reached an agreement whereby the UK will respond by mid-May, it was announced today.
However, Mr Habib, a vocal critic of the Prime Minister who recently urged him to resign, said the time for kow-towing to Brussels was at an end.
He told Express.co.uk: “Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom.
”The fact we are having to appeal to Brussels to access our own country is beggars belief.
“No one could describe the UK as sovereign in these circumstances.”
Mr Habib added: “Our Government should cease humiliating itself going cap in hand to the EU.
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Speaking today, a Government spokeswoman said: “In line with precedent that typically allows two months to respond to proceedings of this kind, we have agreed with the EU that we will respond to the Letter of Formal Notice by mid-May.
“We’ve been clear that the measures we have taken are lawful and part of a progressive and good faith implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
The UK has denied that its unilateral decision to extend the so-called grace period for checks on goods undermines the agreement.
Since leaving the EU’s single market at the end of last year, supermarkets in Northern Ireland have seen some shortages of food, and the British government has also delayed introducing checks on parcels and pets.
The difficulties stem from the terms of Britain’s withdrawal agreement, which leaves Northern Ireland in the EU single market for goods and so requires checks on goods arriving there from other parts of the United Kingdom.
Brexit Minister Lord David Frost and EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic are due to meet tomorrow for talks on the issue – although a breakthrough is thought to be unlikely.
A UK Government spokesman said: “This meeting is part of our ongoing engagement with the EU to work through the outstanding issues with the protocol, in order to restore confidence on the ground, reflect the needs of communities and respect all dimensions of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.
“The discussions so far have been constructive but there are still significant differences that need to be resolved.
“Both the UK and EU are continuing to engage with business, civil society and other stakeholders in Northern Ireland to understand the issues they are facing.”
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney is in London for a series of talks with Lord Frost, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab as well as senior Labour politicians.
