Sefcovic To Set Out Broader EU Response To UK NI Protocol Bill @ 1100CET

European Commission Exec VP Maros Sefcovic is set to deliver a statement at 1100CET (0500ET, 1000BST) outlining more broadly the EU's planned response to the UK gov'ts presentation of the Northern Ireland Protocol bill on Monday.

• The bill unilaterally amends parts of the protocol within the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The UK argues this is necessary as the protocol is not working as intended and threatens the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. The EU argues that the UK is violating international law with the bill, and that it is Westminster that is endangering the peace process.
• The bill includes such provisions as creating 'green' and 'red' lanes for goods entering NI from the rest of the UK (green=no checks for goods staying in NI, red=checks for goods going to RoI/EU), end of ECJ as final arbiter in disputes, end of EU control of state aid and VAT in NI, and a dual regulatory regime where goods can be placed under either EU or UK regulations in NI.
• Link to livestream: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/ebs/live/1
• EU seen as likely to announce the unfreezing of infringement proceedings against the UK, which were launched in Oct 2020 but then suspended as negotiations on the protocol got underway. New infringement proceedings are also possible.
• EU expected to hold back on 'trade war' talk (terminating all or part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement) until the NI Protocol Bill is more progressed through the UK parliament/fully on the statute books.