On 27 February 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new agreement to resolve disagreement about the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework aims to restore the smooth flow of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, safeguard the province’s place within the UK, and give people of Northern Ireland greater control over the rules that apply to them, while simultaneously protecting the EU’s single market.
However, while the agreement has been welcomed as a big step towards improved relations between the UK and EU, the main unionist party in Northern Ireland has said it does not go far enough. The Framework is also subject to further legislative and practical measures to bring its new arrangements into force.
This Dods Political Intelligence report provides a guide to the Windsor Framework, including the key elements of the agreement and how they differ from the Northern Ireland Protocol, expected next steps, a range of initial political and stakeholder reaction, and analysis on the implications for UK-EU relations.