Former Brexit Minister Lord Frost has accused EU negotiators of getting hung up on the minor details in the west while war looms in the east.
In recent talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol, a Brussels official responded to the idea of removing a customs code by raising concerns over the risk assessments conducted for various types of olive oil.
According to RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly, an official said: “There are some kinds of olive oil – extra virgin olive oil – which are usually moved for consumption by restaurants and people in kitchens. There are other kinds of olive oil, which are used for processing.
“It’s only if you know with sufficient detail what kind of olive oil you’re dealing with, that you can then carry out a risk assessment about whether it’s likely to be consumed in Northern Ireland, or whether it will have another purpose.”
Lord Frost responded by calling on the EU to be more “sensible” in discussions over the Protocol.
In a post on Twitter, he said: “At one end of our continent, the EU is working with us on great matters of war and peace, life and death.
“At the other, it is worrying about the strategic risk from olive oil.
“Isn’t it time for the EU to be sensible and find a sustainable solution on the Protocol?”
