Sunak Holds 1st Meeting w/EU's VdL As He Attempts To Boost EU Relations

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweets: "Good first meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the margins of COP27. We face many common challenges, from tackling climate change and the energy transition to Russia’s war against Ukraine. I look forward to a constructive EU-UK cooperation based on our agreements."

• There remain hopes in London and Brussels that early-stage technical talks on the Northern Ireland protocol can make progress to the point where the UK gov't can withdraw the Northern Ireland Protocol bill from parliament, given the threat it poses to the FTA between the EU and UK.
• Sunak is also set to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time in Egypt. Jason Groves at the Daily Mail: "Business Sec Grant Shapps sounding upbeat about chances of improved cooperation with France over Channel migrant crisis, saying Sunak and Macron have ‘hit it off well’."