A deal has been agreed by the UK Prime Minister and European Commission President to solve the ongoing issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

The Windsor Framework aims to deliver free-flowing trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for goods staying within the UK by fixing the practical problems that were created by the original agreement. Rishi Sunak hailed the deal as a “decisive breakthrough” and declared that the new arrangement would remove “any sense of a border in the Irish Sea”. 

Business groups in both Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK largely welcomed the proposals and the progress made in improving trading relations. They did, however, stress a need to study the finer technical details contained within the full legal texts before delivering their final verdict. 

British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Head of Trade Policy, William Bain said, “The BCC has long been calling for a negotiated solution to the trading difficulties caused by the initial version of the protocol. Businesses in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been calling for a considerable reduction in checks and documentary requirements to move everyday goods across the Irish Sea. This appears to be a positive step toward achieving this goal.”