Sefcovic-EU Will Accelerate Legal Action W/O UK Remedies For NI Protocol

European Commission Vice-President for Interinstitutional Affairs Maros Sefcovic speaking on EU-UK relations after Brexit. Select comments below:

• "[The] biggest challenge is to rebuild trust and realign the relationship with UK." Sefcovic says that the EU will accelerate legal proceedings without moves from UK to remedy the "violation of the Brexit Withdrawal agreement on Northern Ireland."
• Sefcovic states that he has proposed as Swiss-style agreement on veterinary standards, while saying that the UK's proposal of New Zealand-style equivalence would not allow to avoid most checks on chilled meats.
• "[The EU] can have a temporary agreement until the UK opts for different food standards with another partner."
• Argues that the EU is "ready to move fast" on reaching an agreement but that it won't be easy....Trust is a two way street, and UK is still failing to comply with Northern Ireland protocol so we need to see pathway to compliance."
• Sefcovic's comments come days after a joint article from the UK's point-person on EU relations, Cabinet Office minister Lord Frost and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis was published in the Irish Times. The article sparked anger in the Republic and in the EU for - according to Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney - stating that the UK gov't was prepared to dismantle the NI protocol.
• The prospect of legal action from Brussels has done little to alter UK gov't policy in the past, and it remains an unlikely prospect that the Johnson gov't will launch into an about-face as a result of Sefcovic's reiteration of this threat today.