Sefcovic, Frost To Meet As NI Protocol Talks Looks Set To Start

European Commission VP Maros Sefcovic and UK Cabinet Office minister Lord Frost are set to meet over lunch in Brussels around midday to launch talks between the two sides on potential alterations to the Northern Ireland protocol in an effort to improve EU-UK relations.

• In an interview with Politico published this morning, Lord Frost stated that the continued jurisdiction of the ECJ in Northern Ireland under the recent EU proposals on the protocol remain a major sticking point. Frost stated that "There needs to be significant change if we are to get an agreed solution," although referring to the proposals as a whole he stated that "We do recognize that the EU has made an effort here."
• The Times reported yesterday that on the ECJ issue, there could be a compromise in the form of an independent arbitration panel dealing with issues related to the protocol broadly, with the ECJ only ruling on matters solely relating to EU law as a matter of last resort. Responding to a question in this, Frost said "All I can say is the governance issue needs to be addressed seriously and if the EU are willing to have a conversation about that on which they move off existing positions obviously we will be happy to have that conversation."
• The talks on the protocol are expected to last around a month, but deadlines on Brexit issues have proved very fluid in the past and there is little reason to expect them to be adhered to this time around.