WESTMINSTER "threats" to suspend Northern Ireland border rules are "not helpful" when the problems are down to Brexit, a leading Irish politician has said.

European Commission Maros Sefcovic has told @michaelgove that sweeping changes to the Protocol will not be possible, and that any flexibilities require the UK for its part to implement the terms of last December's NI Protocol.

AN SDLP Assembly member has criticised the questioning of new DUP leader Edwin Poots on yesterday's Andrew Marr Show.

The EU's Brexit negotiator has told a seminar in Dublin that there will be no renegotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol and that the EU will not accept any solution that will cut the region off from the benefits of the single market.

Britain and the EU appear on the brink of a trade war after Brussels accused Boris Johnson of lacking sincerity in negotiations over Northern Ireland’s future. After the latest talks, the EU commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said that despite Brussels’ attempts to find a compromise, 'we have seen no move at all from the UK side'.

As the EU finally ratifies the Brexit trade deal, attention shifts to some major loose ends.

David Bailey examines the potential impact of new ‘rules of origin’ requirements for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) under the Brexit trade deal, arguing that tariffs on UK-EU BEV trade would be self-defeating when both the UK and the EU are trying to encourage a switch to electric vehicles in order to reach net zero.

One of the key architects of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal has admitted it is damaging Northern Irish businesses and warned it may not be sustainable.

In a move rarely seen between allies, Washington issued London with a demarche: a formal diplomatic reprimand usually reserved for adversaries.

Maroš Šefčovič says he does not want to put existing deal ‘in the shredder’. / The EU’s Brexit chief has ruled out renegotiating Britain’s trade deal until 2026, dashing hopes it could be improved and prevent businesses fleeing the UK.

PM ‘perfectly understood’ impact of Irish Sea checks, says Theresa May’s chief of staff – and the EU knows it.

Ursula von der Leyen hits out at Britain over plans to breach agreement on Northern Ireland.

In an exclusive interview with Sky's Beth Rigby, Maros Sefcovic disputed the UK government's decision to unilaterally overhaul parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol - saying it was "very damaging" to relations with the EU.

Lord Frost warns UK could walk away from elements of deal unless Brussels gives ground.

UK government set to pitch extension of ‘grace periods’ rather than triggering Article 16.

Goods and services exported to bloc affected by return of customs border, EU commissioner says.

Four hours of Brexit talks over Northern Ireland ended with 'no substantive agreement' - with the UK threatening to extend a sausage trading deadline while the EU threatened tariffs in return.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said the bloc was "united" in its opposition to the UK position.

European Union and U.K. attempts to jump-start negotiations over the post-Brexit trading relationship in Northern Ireland have so far failed to make any progress, and diplomats see little chance for any substantial progress until they get past a key election scheduled for May.

EU warns patience wearing “very thin” as tensions between the two sides escalate.

Brussels has warned the UK government that its Brexit trade deal is "intrinsically linked" to enforcing the Northern Ireland border protocol.

Business chiefs and economists say huge disruption lies ahead if Downing Street triggers Article 16.

Any additional or persistent uncertainty around Brexit “is not going to help” with soaring energy prices and the high cost of living, the European Commission (EC) vice president has warned at a meeting in London today.

‘Time is short’ to avert clash over chilled meat exports to Northern Ireland, warns Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister.

The post-Brexit Northern Ireland treaty is reportedly seen as “dead in the water” by Downing Street as negotiations between the UK and EU over the protocol continue.

Nathalie Loiseau says no alternatives have been proposed to Brexit deal. / A senior ally of Emmanuel Macron has told Brexiteers that they must "face reality" over the consequences of leaving the EU.

Europe Letter: UK’s reputation diminished as EU capitals digest declaration to break law

Former prime minister declares that trade deal is off the table until problems are solved.

Supermarkets to be given extended ‘grace period’ until at least October.

Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic will seek to arrange talks with Brexit minister Lord Frost and his team to discuss the request.

Northern Ireland traders call for an extension to Brexit deal grace periods amid warnings they’re drowning in paperwork.

Government confirms no delay, despite demands from businesses and farmers in Northern Ireland.

The UK and the European Union will step up efforts to reach an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol before Christmas after negotiators failed to reach agreement once again. / It comes as it was reported that Britain has watered down its objection to the European Court of Justice remaining in the Protocol.

Sinn Féin accuses UK government of ‘Tory petulance’ claiming its leader Mary Lou McDonald had been excluded from the talks.

Letter to Michael Gove says British must meet Brexit deal obligations before ‘flexibility’ can be considered.

Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker is seeking to renegotiate part of the Brexit trade agreement to fix problems caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

This follows Britain’s move to postpone customs checks on goods entering the North from Britain. / Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and EU commissioner Maros Sefcovic are scheduled to brief the Friends of Ireland caucus on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, amid concern in Washington about Britain’s decision to delay the implementation of a key part of the Brexit agreement.

Members of the US Congress are to receive a briefing today on the latest Brexit developments from Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has warned the EU was very close to refusing the latest demands from the British government over Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

European media responded with shock and disbelief this morning after a minister in Northern Ireland ordered to end checks on food in his country and the UK declared it won’t do anything about it.

European vice-president Maroš Šefčovič says claim about Brussels trying to erect barrier down Irish Sea undermines UK’s reputation

Downing Street said late last night the UK government is prepared to consider tearing up elements of Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal, despite a Cabinet minister insisting the option would not be used before Christmas.

DUP leader under fire for rejecting EU offer that would remove 80% of protocol checks.

Legal action is also reportedly being considered by Brussels, and a top Democrat has warned a UK-US trade deal is at risk.

The EU will later set out a range of proposals, including removing up to half of custom checks, in a bid to resolve the political stand-off over trade in Northern Ireland.

It comes after the UK extended grace periods until October to avoid red tape for goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland.

European Union governments agreed on the need for "robust" action against Britain if London follows through on its threat to escalate a post-Brexit trade dispute, EU diplomats said on Wednesday.

The European Union is awaiting a firm counterproposal from the United Kingdom to ease a standoff over how to deal with Britain’s departure from the bloc.

The EU’s Brexit chief has today warned the UK to not “further sour our relationship” by taking unilateral actions in Northern Ireland as negotiations between the two sides continue.

Maroš Šefčovič says Brussels will launch fresh legal action against UK over treaty obligations.

Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her "deep concern" on the implementation of post-Brexit agreements in a phone call to Boris Johnson.

The European Commission's vice president Maros Sefcovic echoed Boris Johnson's 2019 election slogan in a speech in which he accused the UK of a "my way or the highway" approach.

'Patience is wearing thin' with the UK on the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol, the European Commission's vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, has warned, adding the EU could retaliate by suspending some cooperation and imposing tariffs.

Several large-scale smuggling incidents show that EU concerns over the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol are not theoretical, it added.

Maroš Šefčovič says he is trying to iron out disruption to businesses caused by the protocol.

The European Commission vice president has suggested the EU could act unilaterally to guarantee the supply of medicines from GB to Northern Ireland.

The EU has accused the U.K. of failing to comply with its post-Brexit obligations toward EU nationals in Britain.

"Especially the type as the UK has proposed it, negotiated it, and signed the agreement up on it with us.”

Trade bloc indicates desire to ease tensions with UK over alleged breach of protocol.

The EU has said it is launching legal action against the UK over its plans to rip up a key Brexit agreement.

Brussels has launched legal action against the UK government after Boris Johnson announced he would renege on parts of the deal he signed last year. / Earlier this month the UK moved to unilaterally change parts of the deal to better suit British businesses – provoking anger on the other side of the channel.

'Violating the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law'

Ministers express ‘unity’ on European Commission’s legal proceedings in Luxembourg meeting.

EU countries have backed a proposal to launch legal action against the UK for unilaterally deciding to delay introducing post-Brexit customs checks in Northern Ireland in what will be an escalation of an ongoing row.

European Union member states are gearing up to consider suspending the bloc’s trade agreement with the UK if London takes concrete action to override parts of the Brexit deal, according to officials.

Maros Sefcovic said they searched for four years for the ‘best solution to the very sensitive situation in Northern Ireland’.

Maroš Šefčovič attempts to end tussle at press conference but ‘big gap’ remains to UK’s demands.

The EU is being as 'flexible as possible' on Northern Ireland protocol negotiations, a top European official has said. / But European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic issued a trade warning to the UK.

Group leaders have paused the ratification process amid the latest row

Bloc says it will not renegotiate agreement and threatens to take ministers to court for ‘damaging’ unilateral action.

Brussels was “preparing for the worst” over Brexit on Wednesday after the UK signalled the EU’s offer to scrap up to 80 per cent of checks on goods entering Northern Ireland was not enough to resolve the bitter dispute over the Irish border.

‘We goofed it up, you have to fix it’, Ursula von der Leyen tells young people. / European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said young Britons could still reverse Brexit by deciding to re-join the EU in the years ahead.

Brussels says London must backtrack or both sides will go down ‘a much more confrontational’ path.

The European Commission won't rule out suspending the EU-UK trade deal if the UK approves a draft bill that unilaterally overrides parts of the Brexit agreement.

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator says the bloc is ready to act “firmly and resolutely” if the U.K. fails to honor its commitments under the divorce deal that was supposed to keep trade flowing after the Britain left the EU.

The EU says a UK move to unilaterally extend grace periods for Irish Sea border checks will be a breach of international law.

UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has opposed a previous request by the EU to maintain an office in Belfast to oversee the NI Protocol.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic is expected to announce proposed new legislation on Friday.

The European Union sued Britain on Wednesday (local time) over its move to rewrite the trade rules agreed to when the country left the EU two years ago, ratcheting up tensions between the major economic partners.

The EU has announced new legal action against the UK government over its plans to scrap parts of the post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

Brussels ready to slap tariffs and quotas on UK exports – and even to ‘suspend cooperation in certain sectors’

Lord Frost said on Wednesday that the UK was unilaterally extending "grace periods" designed to ease trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The European Commission says it's now working on 'infringement proceedings'

New rules would allow Brussels suspend free trade and other benefits agreed with UK.

Talks aimed at avoiding a trade war take place in ‘gloomy atmosphere’.

Checks on goods travelling across the Irish Sea should be cut to a “couple of lorries a day”, the EU’s chief negotiator on Brexit said today.

Maroš Šefčovič says bloc will issue ‘far-reaching proposals’ aimed at breaking impasse next week

European Commission vice-president says Brussels wants to get ‘Brexit done’ – while London refuses to talk about Northern Ireland.

The European Union said on Friday that Britain had made no move to seek a compromise on post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and cautioned London against triggering emergency unilateral provisions in the Brexit deal.

The EU has warned the incoming UK leader not to pursue a bill designed to rip up the Brexit deal governing Northern Ireland, just days before Britain’s new premier is elected.

Europe’s top Brexit negotiator has warned of “serious consequences” if the UK makes good on its threat to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol amid an ongoing row with Brussels over how goods can be shipped between the territory and the UK mainland.

A senior European Union official has expressed frustration after talks with the U.K. broke up without resolving differences over the implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland

A top European Union official said Wednesday that Britain could face retaliatory tariffs or other sanctions after talks failed to resolve an increasingly heated dispute over implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland.

Maroš Šefčovič says Brussels has seen no concessions from UK side in Northern Ireland protocol dispute.

The EU this morning warned that it would continue to pursue legal action against the UK “for as long as necessary” over post-Brexit trade issues in Northern Ireland.

Point will come when EU says ‘enough, we cannot compromise any more’, warns Irish foreign minister.

European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic urged London on Friday to conclude a deal to allow medicines to flow easily from Britain to Northern Ireland as well as other issues concerning trade to the British province.

British and Spanish foreign ministers will meet in Brussels for another round of talks over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Top European Union and British officials failed to get a breakthrough at talks on Northern Ireland trade rules and said Friday that contact would continue over the coming weeks

EU and UK parliaments will each send 35 lawmakers to the joint assembly, which oversees the implementation of the Brexit trade deal.

There are serious doubts about the government's justification for unilaterally overriding the Northern Ireland Protocol, legal experts have told MPs.

Talks between Britain and the EU on the implementation of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in Northern Ireland have broken up without agreement.

The UK government’s post-Brexit plan to ditch all EU laws by the end of next year have fallen further into jeopardy, after civil servants discovered 1,400 more pieces of retained legislation.

As his press conference wore on, Maros Sefcovic sounded increasingly frustrated.

Ireland’s European commissioner criticises decision by DUP minister affecting food and animal imports.

The European Union and the U.K. are preparing to enter an intense phase of negotiations starting next week aimed at overcoming the dispute over their post-Brexit trading relationship well ahead of the anniversary of Northern Ireland’s peace agreement in April, according to people familiar with the matter.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s push to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol is driven more by Conservative Party politics than a concern for the region, a senior European Union official said on Wednesday.

It will “take a decade” to resolve the crisis inflicted on Ireland by Brexit and the border checks created in the Irish Sea, David Davis has suggested.

"Happy Magna Carta day! Let's celebrate due process and equality before the law since 1215! Or, as the Tories would have it, meddling lefty lawyers."

The president of America will tell Boris Johnson not to let the row over Northern Ireland's Brexit arrangements put the Good Friday Agreement at risk as the two meet up in Cornwall ahead of G7 summit on Thursday.

Joe Biden's administration has warned the British government against anything that would put the Northern Ireland peace process at risk.

Joe Biden is set to raise pressure on Boris Johnson to not go back on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland treaty before the pair attend the G7 summit later this week in Cornwall.

Brussels chief says US president agrees Britain should not ditch post-Brexit protocol.

US president Joe Biden is set to issue a fresh Brexit warning to prime minister Boris Johnson during their first face-to-face meeting at the G7 summit this week.

European Commssion demands urgent meeting, as John Major warns of risk to UK’s reputation.

MEETINGS of key bodies set up to “smooth” the relationship between the EU and UK after Brexit are taking place “rarely”, a new research report has warned.

New figures released today have revealed just how disastrous Brexit has been for the UK economy as trade data shows exports to the EU fell by almost 14 per cent.

Brexit’s Northern Ireland deal needs the same hard-headed pragmatism that secured Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release.

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to portray a united European front at the G7 summit on Friday (11 June), tweeting a picture of the five EU leaders together, in a thinly veiled warning to the UK that the EU is united about the implementation of the Brexit agreement.

The former prime minister made to the warning to Boris Johnston as talks between the EU and UK continue.

The EU will bring forward new proposals for the Northern Ireland Protocol next week, European Commission Vice President Maros Šefčovič has said. He said he hopes they would form the basis for intensive talks with the UK. The protocol avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods.

The UK government has announced further delays to some Irish Sea border checks. / The checks are a requirement of the Northern Ireland Protocol, a deal reached by the UK and EU in 2019.

Goods lorries entering Northern Ireland (NI) from Great Britain would have to complete a three-page certificate under EU plans to simplify post-Brexit trading arrangements.

A top European Union official dealing with the United Kingdom says that a cliff-edge rupture between the two without even a basic trade deal by the end of the year is becoming more likely by the day.

Northern Ireland could see "instability, uncertainty and unpredictability" if there is an attempt to renegotiate the post-Brexit agreement, the European Commission's vice president has warned.

Government should lift ‘veil of secrecy’ as big decisions are made about protocol, says shadow NI secretary.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has responded to UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s assertion that the legislation to set aside aspects of the Northern Ireland protocol is “not a big deal”.

Businesses say bloc has listened and gone ‘beyond expectations’, increasing their hopes of a deal.

EU said agreement on common rules ‘on the table’ - but UK would probably have to drop prized right to diverge

EU and UK businesses will face ‘inevitable’ extra costs while the post-Brexit trade deal remains in place, European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič warned on Monday (12 June), playing down the prospect of a major overhaul of the agreement.

Preserving post-Brexit trading rules for goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is "the only way" to avoid a hard border, warns the EU.

The Irish Government held high level discussions this week with the Biden administration over UK plans to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.

Brussels says renegotiation UK is suggesting will mean more instability for the region.

The European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič has accused the UK's Brexit Minister, Lord David Frost, of "political posturing".

The PM is reportedly considering bypassing the Northern Ireland protocol so British sausages can continue to be sold there.

The UK's government is "shifting the playing field" in discussions on the Northern Protocol, the Foreign Affairs Minister has said.

Northern Ireland minister’s proposal comes after PM denied plans for Swiss-style relationship with EU.

Six supermarkets that provide three-quarters of Northern Ireland’s groceries have urged the UK government to take action to keep trade flowing when a Brexit grace period ends in October.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has criticised what he called the “false narrative” from the British Government which claims that the European Union is being inflexible on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The EU blundered over vaccines and Northern Ireland, but the UK is deep in denial about the deal it has signed.

The U.K. government has pushed ahead with controversial plans to unilaterally override post-Brexit trade rules, ratcheting up the risk of a trade war as the European Union prepares to take retaliatory legal action.

Conservative minister Steve Baker has said he is “really sorry” to the EU for “not always behaving” in a way that did not foster trust.

EU leaders urged to push back against No 10’s brinkmanship over role of European Court of Justice.

Former PM brands mooted UK policy ‘absurd’.

Tearing up Northern Ireland protocol ‘will spark trade war, drive up inflation and damage UK influence’, warns senior Tory MP.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said a compromise can still be found.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss just announced the Government’s intention to introduce legislation “in the coming weeks to make changes in the [Northern Ireland] protocol”.

Britain has asked for an extension until 2023 of a grace period on checks that would be conducted on trade moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom to soften the Brexit impact on the province, the BBC reported.

The UK's Europe minister called on the European Union to reopen British access to EU scientific programmes on Monday.

Simon Coveney says new legislation will break international law and damage relations between UK and EU.

Legislation has been published by the British government this evening which overrides the post-Brexit trade arrangements for Ireland and severely breaches both the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and international law.

Responsbility to ‘implement’ Northern Ireland Protocol, says Annalena Baerbock ahead of meeting with foreign secretary James Cleverly

The European Union has told Britain it should urgently scrap a plan to break their divorce treaty, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government refused and pressed ahead with a draft law that could sink four years of Brexit talks.

The UK Government is understood to have told Brussels it will continue with the grace periods relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The European Union (EU) has confirmed it is holding back the UK’s access to the £81bn ‘Horizon Europe’ programme as a response to Boris Johnson’s plans to tear up the Northern Ireland protocol.

Michael Gove asks for extension until 2023

In an exclusive interview, Ireland’s EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness told the Irish Independent the UK was “playing a very dangerous game” by inflaming tensions in the North.

European affairs minister says British government out of step with preserving peace with protocol threats.

Richard Neal condemns decision to extend grace period for customs checks between NI and Britain.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has warned that Brussels will not give in to threats and blackmail, as the furious row over the Northern Irish border took a step closer towards a trade war.

EU Commission rejects UK’s new legislation and launches legal action against Britain.

So what is the ECJ, what is its role in the protocol and what are the possible alternatives?

Just seven months after singing its praises, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is attempting to rewrite the Brexit deal he signed with the European Union.

The EU's ambassador to the U.K. on Sunday conceded there was little trust between the two sides ahead of a meeting this week to discuss contentious trade barriers with Northern Ireland.

Supplies of half of all veterinary drugs at risk due to restrictions on importing medicines from Britain.

NI Minister of Agriculture should publish legal advice, says manufacturing body.

Brussels has announced it is taking legal action against the UK government after Boris Johnson pushed ahead with plans to overwrite parts of the Brexit agreement.

He said many MPs privately agree that the UK should have a closer trading relationship with the EU but are too scared to say so.