Ambassador of the European Union to the United Kingdom João Vale de Almeida

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - JANUARY 15, 2021: The head of the EU delegation to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Joao Vale de Almeida, poses near the 'Brasserie des Etangs Mellaerts' on January 15, 2021 in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium. Since leaving the European Union and the end of the transition period on December 31, the UK has become a "third country". The EU therefore transformed its "representation" in London into a "delegation" and sent its first ambassador there. But the British government does not want to recognize its diplomatic status. This is the statement made by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles, the British refusal to grant the European Union delegation the same status as an embassy is "an unfriendly signal" which does not bode well for the future. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)