The British government has said the distance is still "substantial" between the UK and the European Union in their bid to find a resolution on the Northern Ireland Protocol, following talks in London.
Britain's Brexit minister David Frost met European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič to "assess the latest state of play in our talks about the future of the Northern Ireland Protocol," a UK Government spokesman said.
"The week's talks have been conducted in a constructive spirit. While there is some overlap between our positions on a subset of the issues, the gaps between us remain substantial.
"As we have noted before, the EU's proposals represent a welcome step forward but do not free up goods movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the extent necessary for a durable solution.
"Nor do they yet engage with the changes needed in other areas, such as subsidy policy, VAT, and governance of the protocol, including the role of the Court of Justice.
"Our position remains that substantial changes to the protocol will be needed if we are to find a sustainable solution that works in the best interests of Northern Ireland and supports the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Lord Frost and the vice president, and their teams, will meet again in Brussels next week."
The European Commission has told member states that the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the Northern Ireland Protocol is not up for discussion.
In a paper circulated to member states, and seen by RTÉ News, the Commission states: "The EU was always clear in its intentions - it will not renegotiate the Protocol and the role of the Court of Justice is not up for discussion."
The document comes amid growing controversy over the UK government's demands that the ECJ be removed from its oversight role in the Protocol.
Downing Street today told reporters that prime minister Boris Johnson had raised the ECJ issue in relation to the Protocol in a phone call with the Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
The Commission has told member states that the Protocol, which was negotiated and agreed by the EU and UK, outsources the management of the EU's external border to the UK and that as such London is applying EU law as it relates to the European single market.
The paper says this arrangement is "exceptional" and is not replicated in any agreement the EU has with a third country, and that the Withdrawal Agreement itself, to which the Protocol is attached, is an "unprecedented" agreement, which the UK asked for, via Article 50.
"Under these circumstances the Court of Justice needs to play its role as provided in the Protocol in respect of all matters of interpretation and application of those provisions of EU law, which the Protocol makes applicable in the United Kingdom or in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland," the paper states.
The Commission paper also says that the role of the ECJ has not been raised by Northern Ireland businesses.
"Rather the opposite: one of the key interests of Northern Ireland business is to be part of the single market for goods. Being part of the single market means applying EU law.
"And the application of EU law implies a role for the Court of Justice, as foreseen by the Protocol," the paper states.
During their meeting, Mr Frost and Mr Šefčovič also discussed the escalating fishing row between the UK and France.
Additional reporting PA
