MNI BRIEF: EU Sefcovic: Timely Accord With UK Possible

EU Vice President Maros Sefcovic said Monday that a timely agreement with the UK on resolving difficulties around the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol was possible if there was political goodwill. Speaking after a second meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Sefcovic said that he had continued to insist that safeguards to protect the EU’s Single Market be maintained, a thorny issue in the talks as the UK continues to push for a more limited role for the European Court of Justice in ruling on the protocol.

The commissioner also hinted that current geopolitical tensions should also encourage the two sides to reach a solution on the Northern Ireland issue, saying: “In a couple of days two years will pass since Brexit and I continue to believe that it is in our interest to rebuild trust and close partnership especially in a world where democracy increasingly finds itself under press from many sides”.

The pair will have another stocktaking meeting at the end of next week.