Sefcovic threatens action following Truss’ Protocol plans

The EU have emphasised “all measures at its disposal” following Liz Truss’ confirmation the UK could rewrite parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Maros Sefcovic, vice president of the European Commission, seemed to imply a trade war could unravel in a legal statement this afternoon.

He wrote: “Should the UK decide to move ahead with a bill disapplying constitutive elements of the Protocol as announced today by the UK government, the EU will need to respond with all measures at its disposal.

“Our overarching objective is to find joint solutions within the framework of the Protocol. That is the way to ensure legal certainty and predictability for people and businesses in Northern Ireland.

“With political will and commitment, practical issues arising from the implementation of the Protocol in Northern Ireland can be resolved. The European Commission stands ready to continue playing its part, as it has from the outset.”

Ireland’s foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney express his “deep regret” as the plans, saying the actions would be “damaging to trust and will serve only to make it more challenging to find solutions to the genuine concerns that people in Northern Ireland have about how the protocol is being implemented”.

He also argued that it would be  “contrary” to public opinion in Northern Ireland.