Brexit - watch for developments on trade related to Northern Ireland, Article 16 ahead - EU and UK tensions

The 'Northern Ireland' protocol is the part of the Brexit deal agreed to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.

• Essentially it keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods and allows free-flowing trade with the EU. In doing so of course it creates a trade border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, which are both in the UK.
• The EU has proposed measures to ease the checks and controls for goods crossing the Irish Sea.
• But the UK is demanding wide-ranging reform. There is growing speculation the UK trigger Article 16 (this permits parts of the protocol to be unilaterally suspended if they are causing serious difficulties) sometime in the coming weeks.

Tensions are rising between UK and Eu negotiatiors. The latest flare-up is that European Commission (EC) Vice-President Maros Sefcovic has said there will be "serious consequences" if the UK triggers Article 16. Doing so would be "serious for Northern Ireland as it would lead to instability and unpredictability".

Something to keep an eye out for.