Without any fanfare the UK-EU Joint Consultative Working Group established by the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland met on 29 January.

We know this from a matter-of-fact response from @PennyMordaunt to a written question from @LouHaigh

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-01-27/144736

1/

This is an important moment; the JCWG is integral to the institutional framework for managing the Protocol.

2/

Moreover, the JCWG is a unique UK-EU body and if it functions properly its monthly meetings will provide valuable opportunities for Northern Ireland's interests on the Protocol to be discussed with the EU.

3/

On this, see a piece that @hayward_katy and I wrote last year

4/ https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/obscure-committee-could-give-north-input-into-eu-decision-making-post-brexit-1.4241281

If the JCWG is to play a role in reassuring people that NI's interests are being considered, more needs to be known about its work. For the first meeting, no agenda or list of participants was published, nor was a statement issued on what the first meeting discussed.

5/

Perhaps a summary of the minutes will be published in due course. The rules of procedure allow for this.

https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2020/EN/COM-2020-636-F1-EN-MAIN-PART-1.PDF

6/

We certainly see statements issued following meetings of other UK-EU bodies that are part of the institutional framework for the Protocol.

We have a UK government site for these...

7/ https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/withdrawal-agreement-joint-committee

And a European Commission EU site...

8/
https://ec.europa.eu/info/relations-united-kingdom/eu-uk-withdrawal-agreement/meetings-eu-uk-joint-and-specialised-committees-under-withdrawal-agreement_en

We'll see what happens with the JCWG

We may need to rely on what Junior Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) provide the Northern Ireland Assembly's Committee for the Executive Office with details of JCWG's monthly meetings.

End.
http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/committees/2017-2022/executive-office/minutes-of-proceedings/2020---2021/mops-27-january-2021.pdf