LONDON (Reuters – Britain is to tell the European Union that “significant changes” are needed to the Northern Ireland protocol in order for genuine good relations to be established between London and Brussels.

This protocol is part of the Brexit settlement British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reached with the EU. However, London says it should be rewritten within a year because British businesses are not allowed to import British products into the province.

Maros Sefcovic is the Vice President of European Commission and oversees post Brexit relations with Britain. He said that Thursday’s statement by the EU executive was to finalize measures for Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade issues. This would be done either at the beginning or end of next year.

Sefcovic said that he wouldn’t renegotiate protocol. He stated that the protocols were meant to preserve an open border in Northern Ireland with EU-member Ireland.

David Frost, Britain’s Brexit Minister, will give a speech Tuesday to the Portuguese diplomatic community.

According to excerpts from his speech, his office released extracts on Saturday. He said that endless negotiations are not possible and that London must use the Article 16 safeguard mechanism to resolve problems quickly.

Article 16 gives each side the right to decide unilaterally if the protocol causes a problem.

“No one can be doubtful about the gravity of the situation… “The EU must now show ambition and will to address the fundamental issues that lie at the core of Protocol head-on,” said the speech transcript.

“The UK-EU relationship may be under stress, but this doesn’t need to stay that way. The Protocol can be placed on a sustainable footing so that we can move beyond the challenges of the last year.

Expect the European Commission to present its measures on Wednesday.