EU Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight Maroš Šefčovič said on Tuesday that the EU has significant concerns about the announcement made by the UK government regarding new legislation relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP). Unilateral actions are not acceptable, he added, noting that the potential of the flexibilities proposed by the EU commission are yet to be fully explored and they can deliver a real difference on the ground. 

Šefčovič noted that should the UK decide to move ahead with a bill disapplying constitutive elements of the protocol, the EU will need to respond with all measures at its disposal. In recent days, EU officials have threatened to scrap the post-Brexit trade deal with the UK if it takes unilateral action on the NIP.

Seperately, UK PM Boris Johnson recently said that he does not think a trade war with the EU is likely.