On Monday the Prime Minister announced “The Windsor Framework” – the breakthrough agreement with the EU.
This is an enormously important agreement, quietly and effectively negotiated by the Prime Minister and his team. It delivers a huge improvement to the post Brexit status of Northern Ireland which I sincerely hope will be embraced by all political parties in the Province, will cement the Belfast Agreement and hopefully lead to a restoration of Stormont.
It also marks a significant change in the EU’s position, which I hugely welcome and our joint determination to support Northern Ireland and remove stumbling blocks to our relationship. Even as the UK pursues new global opportunities, the UK and EU remain each others’ most significant trading partners. This, and our common interests from Ukraine to “small boats”, show the importance of working closely and respectfully together in the post Brexit world.
The agreement will restore free flowing trade within the United Kingdom, uphold Northern Ireland’s integral place in our Union, and safeguard sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland. The Framework preserves the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement which has endured for nearly a quarter of a century.
Goods destined for Northern Ireland will now travel through a “Green Lane”, with burdensome customs bureaucracy scrapped. This will for example end the situation where food made to UK rules could not be sold in Northern Ireland.
The Government has protected Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom with Northern Ireland now benefitting from UK-wide fiscal policies.
The agreement addresses the “democratic deficit” that the Protocol created. The only EU law that applies in Northern Ireland under the Framework is now the minimum necessary to avoid a hard border with Ireland and to support trade. The Framework introduces a “Stormont Brake” through which the democratically elected Northern Ireland Assembly can stop changes to EU goods rules that would have significant and lasting effects on the everyday lives of the people of Northern Ireland from applying in the Province.
This is a good agreement, it improves the Brexit settlement and illustrates the ability of the UK and EU to work collaboratively together as sovereign neighbours on matters of important interest for all our peoples.