N.Ireland court of appeal dismisses NI protocol challenge by unionist politicians

A number of pro-unionist politicians on Monday lost their appeal against a High Court judgment last year that the Northern Ireland protocol governing post-Brexit trade was consistent with British and European Union law.

The court had ruled last year that Britain's EU withdrawal agreement, which effectively left Northern Ireland within the bloc's trading orbit, overrode earlier precedents due to the sovereignty of the British parliament and its status as constitutional legislation.

The protocol has caused some disruption to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom since it came into force at the start of 2021, angering pro-British unionists. Britain and the EU are trying to rework it to ease the burden on trade.