London and Brussels agree on Brexit dispute over Northern Ireland

The breakthrough came at a meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen in Windsor, west of London. Both were expected to announce details of the deal at a press conference later that afternoon. A meeting with King Charles was also on van der Leyen’s agenda.

In particular, it concerns the implementation of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated as part of the Brexit deal. It stipulates that the customs border between Great Britain and the EU runs in the Irish Sea. This would prevent the introduction of border controls between British Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Otherwise conflict over the unification of the two parts of Ireland was expected to flare up again.

But the restrictions are causing problems for British trade. Unionist Protestant supporters in Northern Ireland feel cut off from Britain. So London wanted to renegotiate the deal. Britain has been out of the European Union for three years following the referendum. The European Union now has 27 members.

The dispute put a strain on relations between London and Brussels, but also on relations between London and Berlin. It is now being eagerly awaited to see if Mr Sunak will win support for the deal from Brexit hardliners in his Conservative Party and Northern Irish Protestant party the DUP. The DUP has been blocking the formation of a new government in Northern Ireland for months.