Northern Ireland Protocol talks with European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič: Foreign Secretary's statement
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss welcomes Vice President Maroš Šefčovič to Chevening House for the latest round of negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Today (Thursday 13 January) the Foreign Secretary will urge the EU to fix the problems in the Protocol to deliver for Northern Ireland and protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
Looking ahead to the meeting, Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss said:
There is a deal to be done that protects peace in Northern Ireland, defends our Union, and maintains the integrity of the United Kingdom and EU. But it will require a pragmatic approach from the EU.
I will be putting forward practical, reasonable solutions starting from these fundamental principles, with a view to agreeing a plan for intensive negotiations.
The EU has a clear responsibility to help fix the myriad problems caused by the Protocol and protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. As fellow believers in liberty and democracy, we should be capable of reaching an agreement that delivers for Northern Ireland and allows us to unleash the full potential of our relationship.
Read the UK and EU joint statement on the Northern Ireland Protocol and EU-UK relations, 14 January 2022.
Media enquiries
Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk
Telephone 020 7008 3100
Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.