{"id":470,"date":"2023-02-27T03:47:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T03:47:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/ni-protocol-final-talks-due-between-rishi-sunak-and-ursula-von-der-leyen\/"},"modified":"2023-02-27T03:47:19","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T03:47:19","slug":"ni-protocol-final-talks-due-between-rishi-sunak-and-ursula-von-der-leyen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/ni-protocol-final-talks-due-between-rishi-sunak-and-ursula-von-der-leyen\/","title":{"rendered":"NI Protocol: ‘Final talks’ due between Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen"},"content":{"rendered":"

NI Protocol: ‘Final talks’ due between Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen<\/p>\n

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\"Ursula<\/picture><\/span>Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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By Lauren Turner<\/div>\n
BBC News<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Rishi Sunak and the European Commission president are due to hold “final talks” on a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland on Monday, Downing Street says.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The prime minister and Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Berkshire in the afternoon to discuss “complex challenges” around the protocol.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The UK wants to change the current agreement – which sees some goods checked when entering Northern Ireland from the rest of Great Britain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A new deal has been expected for days.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab earlier said the UK and EU were “on the cusp” of a deal and that the EU had “moved” on some issues. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Downing Street released more details about the talks between Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen, which is set to take place around late lunchtime. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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If a deal is reached, it would then be announced later on Monday, with the leaders holding a joint press conference after the cabinet has been updated. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The prime minister would then address the House of Commons. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Both Tory and Labour MPs have been told by their respective whips to come to Parliament on Monday. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • What is the Northern Ireland Protocol? <\/li>\n
  • Chris Mason: Deal is moment of political jeopardy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Downing Street said: “The prime minister wants to ensure any deal fixes the practical problems on the ground, ensures trade flows freely within the whole of the UK, safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in our Union, and returns sovereignty to the people of Northern Ireland.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    There have been “hundreds of hours of talks” during the “intensive negotiations with the EU”, the spokesperson added, saying “positive, constructive progress has been made”. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed under former PM Boris Johnson as part of the process of the UK leaving the European Union.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    It means Northern Ireland has continued to follow some EU laws so that goods can flow freely over the border to the Republic of Ireland without checks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Instead, goods arriving from England, Scotland and Wales are checked when they reach Northern Irish ports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Critics, including Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), feel this undermines the nation’s position within the rest of the UK as well as impacting trade. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The DUP has complained about what it calls a “democratic deficit”, with Northern Ireland being subject to EU rules while not having a say on them. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The party has prevented a Northern Ireland devolved government from forming, leaving it in political gridlock. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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