About our Northern Ireland Protocol news
Latest news on NI Protocol, including UK-EU relations, the Windsor Framework, terms of the latest deal, and its relation to the Good Friday Agreement. All the latest Northern Ireland Protocol news.
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, also known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, is a part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement that deals with the unique customs and immigration issues at the border between the UK and EU on the island of Ireland. Its main goal is to protect the EU single market while avoiding a hard border that could potentially incite conflict, like the 'Troubles' in the past. As a result, Northern Ireland is technically outside the EU single market, but still subject to EU free movement of goods rules and the EU Customs Union. This creates a customs border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The Northern Ireland Assembly has the power to decide on the continuation of the protocol after December 2024. If consent is not given, the Joint Committee, a body established by the Brexit withdrawal agreement to oversee the implementation of the agreement, will come up with alternative proposals to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. In the event that consent is given, the question of continuation can be revisited after another four years. At the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, parties in favour of the protocol won a majority of the seats.
In June 2022, the UK Government introduced a Northern Ireland Protocol Bill that could potentially override certain parts of the protocol if passed into law. The bill has caused controversy and disagreement, with some arguing that it undermines the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.