{"id":556,"date":"2023-03-24T14:18:42","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T14:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/uk-and-eu-formally-adopt-new-brexit-windsor-framework-deal\/"},"modified":"2023-03-24T14:18:42","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T14:18:42","slug":"uk-and-eu-formally-adopt-new-brexit-windsor-framework-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/uk-and-eu-formally-adopt-new-brexit-windsor-framework-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"UK and EU formally adopt new Brexit Windsor Framework deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

UK and EU formally adopt new Brexit Windsor Framework deal<\/p>\n

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The new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland has been formally adopted by the UK and EU, Downing Street has said.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Known as the Windsor Framework, it is designed to make trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK easier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It gives the Stormont assembly more say over EU rules and has been welcomed by most Northern Ireland parties. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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However the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) voted against a key aspect of the deal on Wednesday and is still refusing to re-enter power-sharing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Earlier the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said the framework allowed the UK and the EU to begin a “new chapter in relations”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Maros Sefcovic was in London on Friday to ratify the new post-Brexit deal with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mr Sefcovic said the EU would continue listening to everyone in Northern Ireland and continue its commitment to the peace process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He said both sides had “listened, understood and acted for the benefit of both our interests”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Now the Windsor Framework is the result of that genuine engagement and shared vision,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mr Cleverly said the negotiations had been “thoughtful, professional and in the spirit of friendship and cooperation”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“What we achieved was… something which protected the EU’s single market, protected the UK’s internal market but most importantly protected the elements of the Belfast Agreement,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jayne Brady, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, was the representative from Northern Ireland at the Joint Committee meeting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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She was taking part in the absence of a first and deputy first minister.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Today is really more a formality – the deal itself had already been reached.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The UK government is feeling pretty relieved after it passed through the House of Commons with a far smaller Tory rebellion than some had anticipated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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There are still some UK-EU negotiations ahead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Today’s talks will mark the start of, yes, more talks and later negotiations and wrangling over money when it comes to the UK’s access to the EU’s flagship Horizon research scheme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The big sticking point is still the DUP refusing to back the Windsor Framework and go back into power-sharing in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The main concession the UK government gained – that Stormont will now get more of a say over EU rules that apply in Northern Ireland – is somewhat redundant while Stormont is not sitting and Northern Ireland remains without a functioning devolved government.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It is not yet clear what the DUP’s next move will be and what will give the party the reassurances to return to power-sharing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But Downing Street is keen to plough on and play the long game even if the DUP is not yet on side.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On Thursday Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the DUP – Northern Ireland’s second largest party after Sinn F\u00e9in – has yet to come to terms with the significance of the overwhelming parliamentary vote in support of the new deal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He said the deal was done and would be “no renegotiating” of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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His comments came a day after MPs voted by 515 to 29 to support the deal agreed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It will open the door to talks in other areas of cooperation that had been blocked, including financial services and Britain’s access to the EU’s flagship Horizon research scheme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But the DUP and some Conservative MPs voted against the deal, saying the UK government had to make changes to it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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More on new NI Brexit deal<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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