The European Affairs Ministers of the Member States gave their green light on Tuesday 21 March to the ‘Windsor Framework’ amending the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland on which the Commission and the UK Government reached political agreement in principle on 27 February (see EUROPE 13130/2).
Specifically, the Ministers approved two decisions that establish the EU’s position in the Joint Committee and the Joint Consultative Working Group set up under the EU-UK withdrawal agreement.
These will allow the EU to endorse the main elements of the Windsor Framework in these two bodies by translating them into legally binding commitments, the EU Council said in a statement.
“All Member States have agreed very clearly on this Windsor Framework”, welcomed European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders. In particular, the framework will allow for the reduction or elimination of controls on products and goods coming from Great Britain and destined solely for the province of Northern Ireland.
The EU will maintain real-time access to UK information databases to also check that EU rules on goods that can go to the Republic of Ireland are being applied.
This Windor Framework “will provide people and businesses in Northern Ireland with lasting certainty and predictability. It allows us to turn a page and start afresh”, commented Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on Twitter earlier in the day.
“The Member States are united behind the European Commission in their support for the agreed solutions and look forward to their swift implementation in good faith”, commented Jessika Roswall, Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs.
The UK Parliament will consider the Windsor Framework on Wednesday 22 March. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)