EU takes action against UK over ‘int’l law breaches’ on NI Top Story March 16, 2021 BRUSSELS: The European Union has accused the UK of breaching international law for a second time as it formally launched legal action against the Government for unilaterally extending the post-Brexit grace periods on trade in Northern Ireland. In an escalation of tensions, the European Commission on Monday took the first step towards proceedings that could see the Government defend itself in the European Court of Justice over the alleged breach of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic accused the Government of a breach of trust and said its actions had “once again set the UK on a path of a deliberate breach of its international law obligations”.