Sefcovic Expected To Announce EU Proposal On NI Protocol ~1830CET

European Commission VP Maros Sefcovic is slated to announce the EU's latest proposal for dealing with the impasse over the Northern Ireland protocol that risks a major deterioration in political and trading relations between the UK and the EU.

• Suzanne Lynch at Politico tweets on likely course of events today: "...College of commissioners, ambassadors, Parliament to be briefed today- Sefcovic to present proposals at 6.30 pm [1230ET, 1730BST]. EU officials plan to visit London on Thursday...Today's proposal will not be presented as a "take it or leave it" announcement officials say. Brussels is keen to continue the dialogue (though not renegotiation) with London. However, officials expect a "difficult discussion" at today's [COREPER] meeting of ambassadors, with some countries pushing for retaliation. "If the British want to play hardball, so will we," said a diplomat from a large member state."
• Yesterday's speech from Cabinet Office minister Lord Frost laid down the gauntlet to the EU, with the UK gov'ts main point of contact with the EU stating once again that Art.16 to suspend use of the protocol could be invoked if there was not a comprehensive renegotiation of the protocol.
• With the EU consistently stating that a renegotiation is off the table, there remains the non-negligible risk of a broader trade war front opening up between the two sides.