The million/billion euro question, however, is what happens IF the UK offers full alignment, CU, cash etc as an future relationship template.
That would present EU with v divisive and delicate choice.
Irish will be nervous as they seem to have failed to stop the backstop getting scrunched into October. /2
UK still pushing mutual recognition (different rules, same outcome idea) which has led to some testy meetings rejecting UK slides of two weeks ago.
But one step at a time. First CU for backstop, then alignment etc