Brussels ‘preparing for worst’ from UK after setting out changes to NI protocol

The Port of Belfast Harbour (Liam McBurney/PA)

Brussels is reportedly “preparing for the worst” as it awaits the UK’s response to a series of steps it proposed to cut trade red tape across the Irish Sea.

The European Union Commission has laid out measures to slash 80% of regulatory checks and dramatically cut customs processes on the movement of goods, especially food and farming produce, between Britain and the island of Ireland.