Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister today set a December deadline for solving the Northern Ireland problems in his own deal.
Lord Frost said the UK and EU both want to settle the issue “this autumn” - which weather forecasters and astronomers both regard as ending in December.
He told the Commons European Scrutiny Committee: “We have always been clear we don't want this situation to run on for a very long time and, to be fair to the commission, they have said that as well.
"We all see this as an issue for this autumn, to be settled one way or the other."
Talks will resume on Tuesday in London on finding a solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol, which Boris Johnson signed as part of his Brexit deal with the EU in 2019.
The UK has accused the EU of being too inflexible over the protocol, which puts Northern Ireland under many EU rules - forcing British goods to be checked when they cross the Irish Sea.
Lord Frost declared the UK would not accept a role for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) - or the same mechanism by another name - to decide on any breaches of the protocol.
He warned “the test is passed” already for invoking Article 16, a move that would effectively unilaterally suspend the treaty and prompt fresh chaos in Northern Ireland.
But he added: “I think it’s right to give it a little time and allow the technical talks to take place… and try very hard to see if we can bridge these gaps”.
Reform measures put on the table by the EU would see an 80% cut in checks for British food and animal products heading to Northern Ireland’s shops.
Lord Frost claimed it was a “pity” the EU had “waited three months” to produce its latest plans, and said he was “still trying to understand the technical detail” behind them.
Lord Frost, while praising some elements of the EU plan, said some of the ideas put forward were "problematic".
"The problem with them is that they don't go far enough," he told MPs.
"I'm not sure they would quite deliver the kind of ambitious freeing up of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland that we want to see, but what we're trying to test is whether they could find the basis to go further than what they have put on the table.
"That's the kind of discussions we have been having and it has been quite constructive so far, but the gaps between us remain significant."
Despite the differences, Lord Frost stressed that it would be "much better for stability, prosperity and certainty" in Northern Ireland if an accord could be struck before the winter deadline.
