An inaugural meeting between the UK’s new head of mission to Brussels and senior EU officials in Brussels has been “postponed” in response to the status of the bloc’s ambassador in London being downgraded. Downing Street has been refusing to grant João Vale de Almeida, the EU’s ambassador to the UK, and his 25-strong mission the privileges and immunities afforded to diplomats under the Vienna convention. The British government’s approach has stirred anger in Brussels as the EU has 142 other delegations around the world, each of which has full diplomatic status. Meanwhile, the EU has introduced controls to prevent the export of COVID-19 vaccines from the bloc to Northern Ireland – triggering an angry response from First Minister Arlene Foster who called the decision "aggressive and shameful".