Brexit Follow-up Agreement... "Lowering Trade Barriers"

On the 27th (local time), the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) reached an agreement on post-Brexit negotiations concerning trade in Northern Ireland.

According to major foreign media including the BBC, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a joint press conference after their talks in Windsor, UK, announcing that both sides had agreed on the revised 'Windsor Framework' for the Brexit agreement related to Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Sunak said, "I am pleased to announce that we have made a decisive breakthrough," adding, "We have agreed to amend the Northern Ireland Protocol, which will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship."

He further stated, "This agreement will be a turning point that ends the uncertainty surrounding Northern Ireland."

Commission President von der Leyen also evaluated the agreement as "historic" and said it would strengthen the relationship.

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

The new agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol primarily aims to reduce barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. First, to ensure free and smooth trade within the UK, goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be exempt from quarantine and customs checks only if they are marked with a green stripe.

Additionally, under this new agreement, the UK government will determine the value-added tax (VAT) and subsidies applicable in Northern Ireland.

To respect the authority of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the agreement includes a provision allowing the Assembly to apply a brake if EU law is to be applied in Northern Ireland. However, the final arbitration authority regarding the protocol remains with the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Previously, in 2021, the UK and the EU signed a protocol to resolve the issue of Northern Ireland, part of UK territory, remaining in the EU single market.

However, the protocol that came into effect at that time did not facilitate smooth trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Although goods crossing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland were domestic movements, a border was effectively drawn between Great Britain and the island of Ireland, requiring quarantine and customs procedures for those goods.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.