So, 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, as well as ensuring no hard border on the island of Ireland.
Third, this week’s agreement safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland, in line with the principles of the Good Friday agreement. 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.
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. The Windsor Framework is a good deal for the UK and the EU. It is the fruit of intense engagement, with plenty of difficult discussions, but done in a spirit of partnership, resolve and creativity. I pay tribute to President von der Leyen, Vice-President Sefcovic and their team for their co-operation and to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the Irish Government for its constructive role.
But it’s so stupid…..the whole country had all of this before Brexit, and could have it again.