Irish Deputy PM Varadkar: UK expected to announce extension of NI import grace periods

Irish deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday that they are expecting the UK to announce an extension of the Northern Ireland import grace periods and the UK customs controls on EU imports, Reuters reported, citing Irish state broadcaster RTE.

Varadkar further added that the European Commission is expected to note the decision and reiterated that Britain's cabinet office minister Michael Gove reassured him that the UK does not want to walk away from the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Market reaction

These comments don't seem to be having a significant impact on market sentiment. As of writing, the UK's FTSE Index was up 0.63% on the day at 7,183.