Rishi Sunak has unveiled a historic new deal on post-Brexit rules that will remove trade barriers for Northern Ireland after a “decisive breakthrough” with the EU.
In a press conference on Monday, the prime minister hailed the “Windsor Framework” as marking a “new chapter” on relations with Brussels that he hopes will restore powersharing in Stormont.
European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen said the changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol still include a role for the European Court of Justice – a key issue for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
The pair, who held a joint press conference at the Windsor Guildhall, finalised the long-awaited deal to improve the agreement signed by Boris Johnson more than three years ago after a meeting in Windsor lasting under two hours.
A key part is an “emergency brake” on changes to EU goods rules that can be pulled by the Northern Ireland Assembly that Mr Sunak said would give the Westminster Government a “veto”. Mr Sunak said it is a “very powerful mechanism” for Stormont to use when it has concerns over EU law.
Here is the prime minister’s speech in full:
“Good afternoon.
“All our thoughts are with Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell and his family after last week’s abhorrent shooting in Omagh.
“A man of extraordinary courage, his first thought was to protect the children he had been coaching.
“President Von der Leyen and I stand united with the people and leaders of all communities across Northern Ireland.
“Those trying to drag us back to the past will never succeed.
“This afternoon, I welcomed President Von der Leyen to Windsor to continue our discussions about the Northern Ireland Protocol.
“I’m pleased to report that we have now made a decisive breakthrough.
“Together, we have changed the original Protocol and are today announcing the new Windsor Framework.
“Today’s agreement:
“Delivers smooth flowing trade within the whole United Kingdom.
“Protects Northern Ireland’s place in our Union.
“And safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland.
“These negotiations have not always been easy, but I’d like to pay an enormous personal tribute to Ursula for her vision in recognising the possibility of a new way forward.
“And to my colleagues the Foreign and Northern Ireland Secretaries for their steadfast leadership.
“The United Kingdom and the European Union may have had our differences in the past, but we are allies, trading partners, and friends, something that we’ve seen clearly in the past year as we joined with others, to support Ukraine.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship.
“For a quarter of a century the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement has endured because at its heart is respect for the aspirations and identities of all communities.
“Today’s agreement is about preserving that delicate balance and charting a new way forward for the people of Northern Ireland.
“I am standing here today because I believe that we have found ways to end the uncertainty and challenge for the people of Northern Ireland.
“We have taken three big steps forward.
“First, today’s agreement delivers the smooth flow of trade within the United Kingdom.
“Goods destined for Northern Ireland will travel through a new Green Lane, with a separate Red Lane for goods at risk of moving onto the EU.
“In the Green Lane, burdensome customs bureaucracy will be scrapped.
“It means food retailers like supermarkets, restaurants and wholesalers will no longer need hundreds of certificates for every lorry.
“And we will end the situation where food made to UK rules could not be sent to and sold in Northern Ireland.
“This means that if food is available on the supermarket shelves in Great Britain, then it will be available on supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland.
“And unlike the Protocol, today’s agreement means people sending parcels to friends and family or doing their shopping online, will have to complete no customs paperwork.
“This means we have removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea.
“Second, we have protected Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.
“We’ve amended the legal text of the Protocol to ensure we can make critical VAT and excise changes for the whole of the UK, for example on alcohol duty, meaning our reforms to cut the cost of a pint in the pub will now apply in Northern Ireland.
“The same quintessentially British products like trees, plants, and seed potatoes – will again be available in Northern Ireland’s garden centres.
“Onerous requirements on pet travel have been removed.
“And today’s agreement also delivers a landmark settlement on medicines.
“From now on, drugs approved for use by the UK’s medicines regulator will be automatically available in every pharmacy and hospital in Northern Ireland.
“Third, today’s agreement safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland.
“The only EU law that applies in Northern Ireland under the Framework is the minimum necessary to avoid a hard border with Ireland and allow Northern Irish businesses to continue accessing the EU market.
“But I know that many people in Northern Ireland are also worried about being subject to changes to EU goods laws.
“To address that, today’s agreement introduces a new Stormont Brake.
“Many had called for Stormont to have a say over these laws.
“But the Stormont Brake goes further and means that Stormont can in fact stop them from applying in Northern Ireland.
“This will establish a clear process through which the democratically elected Assembly can pull an emergency brake for changes to EU goods rules that would have significant, and lasting effects on everyday lives. If the brake is pulled, the UK government will have a veto.
“This gives the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland a powerful new safeguard, based on cross community consent.
“I believe the Windsor Framework marks a turning point for the people of Northern Ireland.
“It fixes the practical problems they face.
“It preserves the balance of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.
“Of course, parties will want to consider the agreement in detail, a process that will need time and care.
“Today’s agreement is written in the language of laws and treaties.
“But really, it’s about much more than that.
“It’s about stability in Northern Ireland.
“It’s about real people and real businesses.
“It’s about showing that our Union, that has lasted for centuries, can and will endure.
“And it’s about breaking down the barriers between us.
“Setting aside the arguments that for too long, have divided us.
“And remembering the fellow feeling that defines us:
“This family of nations – this United Kingdom.”
