MNI BRIEF: EU Sefcovic Confident On NI Protocol Outcome

EU Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said Wednesday he was confident that "good solutions" can be found to the current difficulties facing trade flows between the UK and Northern Ireland, without the need for a rewrite of the Northern Ireland Protocol. He will visit Dublin for a meeting with Taoiseach Michael Martin Thursday, before heading to Northern Ireland for his first "full-fledged" visit to the province, where he has meetings planned with leaders of the Executive and Assembly, as well as academic, business and other community leaders.

He said his aim was to see and listen to the fears problems as seen by locals, but was "convinced -- and this is the strong feeling also within the Commission-- that we can find good solutions within the Protocol."

Sefcovic said he was confident that these solutions could be found without the need for a rewrite of the Protocol.