Supermarkets may get more time to adapt to Northern Ireland trading rules

Move to exempt goods entering N Ireland from checks amounts to violation' of withdrawal treaty

The British government has been accused of breaking international law for a second time by the European commission after ministers said the UK would unilaterally act to give Northern Ireland businesses time to adapt to post-Brexit rules.

In a damning statement, Maro efovi, the vice-president of the commission, said a move announced by Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis to exempt goods coming from Great Britain from checks amounted to a violation" of the withdrawal agreement.