Brexit

For most of 2021, the status of Northern Ireland has created friction between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Will 2022 be the same?

A series of scandals is fueling speculation that the U.K. prime minister’s party is plotting to oust him, which could change London’s EU policy direction.

Recent developments suggest the EU and U.K. may soon ink a deal on customs controls at the Irish Sea to avoid a costly trade war.

London’s threat to suspend the agreement could jeopardize its free trade deal with Brussels while undermining other aspects of the bilateral relationship.

While they’ve avoided short-term trade disruptions, Brussels and London still have fundamentally different goals for amending the Northern Ireland protocol.

London’s reluctance to comply with the bloc’s single market rules will keep negotiations to reform the Northern Ireland protocol at risk of collapse.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended Stratfor articles from the week that was.

Disputes over the long-term implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol will continue to threaten the Brexit trade deal.

Scotland’s governing party has promised to ask the U.K. for a second independence referendum if it wins the May 6 vote.

The likely appointment of a more hard-line first minister could inspire new rounds of violence in the region, as well as disputes between the U.K. and EU.