TALKS between the EU and the UK yielded a breakthrough in protocol-linked data-sharing but it looks increasingly unlikely that an overall resolution to the row over the post-Brexit trade arrangements will be brokered in time for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
It had been hoped that the impasse around the Northern Ireland Protocol could be broken by April 10, enabling the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont institutions, while paving the way for a visit to the north by President Joe Biden.
Reports have indicated that expectations of a breakthrough by early-to-mid April are fading but that potential remained to put in place an "outline" agreement in time to mark the peace accord's anniversary in three months' time.
European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic travelled to London for talks with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris.
A joint-statement issued after the discussions hailed an agreement on EU access to British IT systems, thus far regarded as a major sticking point on creating trust between the two sides.
The statement described the first major meeting of the year as "cordial and constructive".
"They underlined the EU and UK's shared commitment to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement in all its parts, while protecting the integrity of both the EU single market and the UK internal market," it said.
"They agreed that while a range of critical issues need to be resolved to find a way forward, an agreement was reached today on the way forward regarding the specific question of the EU's access to UK IT systems.
"They noted this work was a critical prerequisite to building trust and providing assurance, and provided a new basis for EU-UK discussions."
It added that officials in Brussels and London would now "work rapidly to scope the potential for solutions in different areas on the basis of this renewed understanding".
The two sides would "take stock of progress" next week.
Tweeting after the meeting, Mr Cleverly said: "We share the same focus - finding the best outcome for Northern Ireland.
"Today's progress on data-sharing marks a positive step in discussions on the NI Protocol."
Mr Sefcovic described the data agreement as a "new basis" for UK-EU discussions on the protocol.
However, the talks took place against the background of growing speculation that a deal will not be finalised by April's unofficial deadline.
RTÉ reported a number of sources suggesting that the process would not be concluded in time to mark the anniversary of the 1998 peace accord.
It has been speculated that the two sides may announce a "political" agreement but that technical details would not be finalised.
Despite the cautionary tone, the report indicated that the highly intensive technical talks are continuing in a good atmosphere.
It said the EU was prepared to explore more flexible solutions, than had been mapped out its published proposals of October 2021 but only if member states were convinced that the UK was genuine in finding agreement.
Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the north was facing growing pressures in the absence of devolution and that it was vital to agree a resolution on the protocol.
"Many people, myself included, have been growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of light from the negotiations between the UK and EU," he said.
“It would seem significant to me that the Northern Ireland secretary was part of today’s discussions, and I hope that he will be able to provide an update to Northern Ireland parties when we meet with him on Wednesday in Belfast."
The Upper Bann MLA cautioned the the British government over "ratcheting up the rhetoric around this as they did before Christmas".
"It achieved nothing then, just as an election would achieve nothing new now," he said.
