UK Asks EU For More Time For Response To Legal Action Re: NI Protocol-RTE

Tony Connelly at RTE tweets a thread on NI protocol:

• "BREAKING: The United Kingdom has asked for more time to respond to the legal action taken by the EU over it's unilateral decision to ease the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol, @rtenews understands. The request came in two letters from the UK's chief Brexit minister David Frost. The EU launched twin-track legal proceedings against the UK on March 15 following the decision by the NI Secretary Brandon Lewis to unilaterally delay the full implementation of the Protocol.
• The Commission had issued a letter of formal notice to the UK government, which is the first step in a legal procedure which could end up in the European Court of Justice. The letter of formal notice accused the UK of "breaching the substantive provisions of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland" as well as the "good faith obligation" enshrined within the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
• A second "political" letter was sent by the European Commission VP Maros Sefcovic to Lord Frost calling on London "to rectify and refrain from putting into practice" the announced extension of the grace period for certain border checks on goods moving from Great Britain to NI. The UK was given one month to respond to the two letters. However, two sources have told RTE News that Lord Frost has asked for an extra month to respond to the legal action. One source described the two letters as "courteous" and "respectful".
• It's understood Lord Frost stressed in the letters that the UK was convinced that its unilateral actions in extending grace periods and cancelling other requirements of the Protocol was a bona fide attempt by the UK to comply with its obligations.
• He is also understood to have stressed the complexity of the issues involved. When it unilaterally extended grace periods on March 3 the UK govt argued that the move amounted to a short term, practical step that was required to avoid any food shortages from April 1, when the mutually agreed grace period related to EU food safety requirements expired."