An EU proposal to change its own laws to ensure the free flow of medicines between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a “step in the right direction” but “not far enough”, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

       European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic announced the proposed laws over medicines in a move he said he hoped would create momentum to resolve other disputes over Brexit’s Irish Sea border.

       However UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost expressed disappointment that solutions to wider issues linked to the Northern Ireland Protocol had not yet been resolved.

       Talks between the UK and EU are set to resume in January when efforts will intensify to resolve the areas of dispute.

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       DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson welcomed the announcement on Friday but said it still left “significant problems for our constituents”.

       “It is shocking that in the middle of a pandemic there is uncertainty over our access to medicines because of the NI Protocol,” he said.

       “Brussels should have no role in deciding Northern Ireland’s access to medications.

       “This is another blatant breach of the Belfast Agreement. A foreign power should have no role in dictating to this part of the United Kingdom whether we can access medicines at the same time as the rest of the United Kingdom.

       “Our constituents should be able to access the same drugs at the same time as the rest of the United Kingdom.

       “We are seeking meetings with medicine suppliers to gauge the impact of this decision but given the EU still seeks to retain an element of control over medicines we expect the latest announcement by the EU to still leave significant problems for our constituents.”