Thread by @BBCkatyaadler

European Commission Président says sent letter of formal notice to UK government - the first step in infringement proceedings. This, because has not removed party’s of internal market bill that could override aspects of #Brexit Withdrawal agreement /1

Commission will give government one month to respond it says. Meantime the Commission ‘stands by its commitments’ (this is a jab at Boris Johnson) and ‘will continue working hard to ensure timely implementation of withdrawal agreement’ says president von der Leyen /2

By giving the government one month, the EU hopes this will give time for both sides to progress towards a) an EU-UK trade deal, which could allay fears of U.K. gov about aspects of the Irish Protocol in Withdrawal Agreement and b) ../3

Allow progress in the committees with the U.K. to implement the Irish Protocol and Withdrawal Agreement at large to solve difficulties between the two sides. If clear progress made on a) and b) in a month, EU hopes the problematic parts of Internal Market Bill become irrelevant/4

So was it a ‘successful’ negotiating ploy by Downing Street all along? You could say gov called the EU’s bluff. Brussels threatened legal action over Bill but is actually clearly playing it slowly. Doesn’t want to damage chances of agreeing a trade + future relations deal w UK /5

Yet the threat by No10 to break international law has been damaging amongst own MPs + internationally. EU says will insist all the more now on having an independent body to police any eventual trade deal w U.K. - so as to be able to take swift legal action in case of disputes /6