So much for the EU's insistence that there must be no hard border on the island of Ireland...

[HelloThereMeHearties]

They've just triggered Article 16, to stop vaccines travelling across the border from Ireland toNI.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-55864442

Pmk

Just seen this on the news and I'm not sure what happens next and what the implications are

They're basically blocking export of vaccine across the EU/UK border.

It is a highly aggressive and incendiary move.

Wow! The mask has totally slipped hasn’t it.

Indeed. I also suspect that any future contracts the EU wants to sign with pharma companies for vaccines will take a lot longer to agree... Well done, EU. You're really making yourselves look great.

Just been discussing this with DH. We were trying to work out why the EU has done this, and done it with no notice - do they seriously think that AZ are going to start smuggling vaccines to the UK via Ireland tomorrow?!

And we realised - this is the EU's way of drawing the UK government into this row. Bastards.

There’s an existing thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4150613-EU-has-triggered-article-16-over-controls-on-vaccine-exports