European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič will have lunch on Friday 15 October in Brussels with UK Minister for European Relations David Frost, the Commission confirmed on Thursday 14.
The two men will start discussing the proposals submitted on 13 October by the Commission to make the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland more flexible (see EUROPE 12811/14).
On Wednesday evening, the UK government reacted briefly, promising to look at the proposals “of course in a serious and constructive way”. “The next step should be intensive discussions on our two sets of proposals, conducted quickly, to determine whether there is common ground for a solution”, the government spokesperson added, continuing to stress the need for “meaningful changes that address the fundamental issues at the heart of the protocol, including governance”.
On Wednesday, the Commission rejected the possibility of revisiting the role of the Court of Justice in overseeing the protocol, arguing that the issue is not related to the practical difficulties encountered in Northern Ireland. The institution has the support of the Member States, who renewed their support on 13 October in an exchange between the Vice-President and the national ambassadors to the EU. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)