The Protocol: State of Play

Negotiations over the outstanding issues regarding the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland (the Protocol) continue between the EU and UK. Whilst both sides have welcomed the compromises of their counterparts, an agreement is yet to be reached. The most recent meeting on the matter took place on Thursday, 13, January 2021. This briefing, by Stephen T. Frain, assesses the current state of play with respect to the talks, the latest international developments as well as evolving unionist perspectives on the Protocol.

The paper reviews the latest developments and positions of the UK and EU, and Ireland, in the aftermath of the resignation of Lord David Frost from the UK Government and from his responsibilities as Co-Chair of the EU-UK Joint Committee and Partnership Council.

It also provides a global outlook on the Protocol discussions. In particular, it assesses the implications of the USA’s continued imposition of ‘Section 232” tariffs on UK steel and aluminium, which is reportedly as a result of fears in the Biden Administration that the UK will not honour its commitments in the Protocol.

Most notably, it provides an overview of evolving unionist perspectives on the Protocol. It in turn assesses what the implications of this might be for North-South relations as well as for the fate of the Protocol itself.