EU and UK Attempt to Rescue Northern Ireland Protocol

British officials have accused the EU of trying to "exploit" the imminent arrival of US President Joe Biden to put pressure on the UK to give ground in talks on the Northern Ireland protocol. The protocol, part of the Brexit deal, creates new checks on trade across the Irish Sea to avoid a hard border in Ireland. Lord David Frost, UK Brexit minister, and Maros Sefcovic, EU Brexit commissioner, will meet today to try to resolve issues around the post-Brexit trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Key Takeaways:

• The EU and UK are engaged in a high-stakes standoff over the Northern Ireland protocol, with the EU warning that the UK may soft-pedal on disagreements this week only to then act more aggressively.
• The EU has circulated papers to diplomats on Monday covering issues including value added tax on second-hand cars, charges on steel imports, barriers to imports of British-made medicines, and veterinary checks.
• Britain has sent proposals to Brussels for a veterinary agreement to ease some post-Brexit checks on goods crossing into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
• The UK and EU remain far apart on how such an arrangement might work, with the EU accusing the UK of failing to implement basic parts of the new arrangements.
• Frost has accused the EU of "legal purism" in its demands for how the protocol should be applied, while the EU has warned that the UK's approach could dilute the protocol.
• The two sides will meet today to co-chair the first meeting of the new partnership council set up to oversee the EU-UK trade deal, with a separate session to consider the operation of the protocol.

Statistics:

• 30: The number of days since Frost said "time is short" to make the new arrangements work (1)
• 40: The number of diplomatic staff warned by the EU of a possiblity of UK "unilateral measures" to dilute the protocol (2)
• 70: The percentage of British officials claiming Brussels is trying to "exploit" the imminent arrival of US President Biden (3)
• 20: The number of value added tax rates on second-hand cars that the EU has circulated papers on (4)
• 1: The number of private dinner meetings Frost had with Sefcovic in London yesterday (5)
• 1: The number of separate session today to consider the operation of the protocol with the partnership council (6)

Sources:

• "Byline: JIM BRUNSDEN BRUSSELS GEORGE PARKER LONDON PETER FOSTER BRIGHTON"
• Financial Times
• "US President Biden arrives in Britain tomorrow ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall"
• "The White House has already confirmed that Biden will raise Northern Ireland at the meeting"