EU's Sefcovic 'appeals to UK to return to negotiations' over N. Ireland Protocol

Sefcovic rejects a suggestion from the UK that the EU side is not showing enough flexibility over the Northern Ireland Protocol: "I totally don't accept that statement because we have been the forthcoming party and we have been bringing solutions to the table for more than a year (...) Unfortunately until today we did not get the proper access to the data and the forthcoming attitude from the UK where they would meet us halfway."

When asked about a possible EU-UK trade war if Boris Johnson's government does indeed go ahead with scrapping parts of the Protocol, the EU Commission Vice-President replies: "We've been avoiding this term – it's not us who put it on the table. In these difficult times of war in Ukraine, of a difficult economic situation in all our EU countries, it's our duty to find solutions that prevent even thinking about the possibility of a trade war. So let's wait to see what the UK government proposes and then we'll discuss with member states and the Parliament how to proceed in this new situation."

Produced by Georgina Robertson, Isabelle Romero, Sophie Samaille and Perrine Desplats

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app