The European Union announced fresh legal action against the British government on Wednesday over its proposed rewrite of parts of the Brexit agreement, but steered clear of sharper retaliation, setting up a protracted period of uncertainty over the deal’s future and a possible trade war in Europe.
The EU’s steps signaled that, at least for now, the bloc has no immediate plans to suspend the Brexit agreements or to unwind the crucial zero-tariff and zero-quota arrangements in the trade deal, intended to maintain strong economic ties.