EU chief, UK PM to thrash out N Ireland protocol

BRUSSELS: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Britain on Monday to discuss changes on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol, they said in a joint statement.

The two “agreed to continue their work in person towards shared, practical solutions for the range of complex challenges around the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland”, said the statement issued late Sunday.

Commission “President von der Leyen will therefore meet with the Prime Minister in the UK tomorrow (Monday),” it said. The meeting will happen in Berkshire, west of London, the European Commission told media, adding that Number 10 was in charge of arrangements. Berkshire, a county, is home to Windsor Castle, a royal residence of King Charles III.

British media had reported that Sunak had looked at calling any resulting text modifying application of the protocol the “Windsor agreement”. They had also reported that there were plans for von der Leyen to meet King Charles on the day of any agreement on changes to the protocol´s implementation. That was reportedly supposed to happen on Saturday but was put off.