Brexit: UK and EU 'still determined to find solutions to protocol'

The UK and EU said they remain determined to find "durable solutions" to the issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The two sides issued a joint statement after a meeting of senior officials.

The negotiators met in a body known as the Specialised Committee.

It deals with technical issues and can make recommendations to the lead negotiators, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič.

The statement said: "Both parties underlined their ongoing determination to ensure that outstanding issues in the context of the protocol are addressed, and durable solutions are found as soon as possible for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland.

"In addition, the EU and the UK reiterated the importance of further engagement with business groups, civil society and other stakeholders in Northern Ireland and committed to further joint engagements."

Officials representing the NI Executive attended the meeting as part of the UK delegation.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commissioner in charge of Brexit negotiations Maroš Šefčovič

The protocol is the Brexit deal which prevents a hard Irish border by keeping Northern Ireland inside the EU's single market for goods.

That also creates a new trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, something the EU accepts is causing difficulties for many businesses.

The EU has agreed in principle that GB goods which are going to stay in Northern Ireland should be subject to fewer checks and controls than those which are due to travel onwards to the Republic of Ireland and the wider EU.

But there is still a big difference between the UK and EU about how that should be implemented and what should be considered a reasonable level of risk to the EU single market.

• The NI Protocol and its economic impact

• A simple guide to the Brexit border problem

The joint committee previously met in late February.

At that time Mrs Truss and Mr Šefčovič said they were determined that outstanding issues would be addressed.

A senior EU official suggested that the talks would happen in a more "discreet" way in the run up to the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May.

It is not yet clear if, or how, the war in Ukraine will affect the negotiations.

Mrs Truss and Mr Šefčovič have previously made a joint statement expressing a wish for "a positive EU-UK relationship" which would allow for "co-operation on common global challenges".

Last week, Mrs Truss was a guest at an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels alongside the US secretary of state and Canada's foreign minister.

However, EU and UK sources have both played down the prospect that the changed environment could unlock rapid progress.