The DUP feels there are still “issues of concern” following the announcement of new trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the new deal - dubbed ‘the Windsor Framework’ - at a meeting in the English town today.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomes European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen ahead of a Brexit meeting, 27-02-2023. Image: PA Images / AlamyGoods made in Great Britain to be sold in Northern Ireland will be able to travel to the province through a ‘green lane’ with a separate ‘red lane’ for goods destined to the European Union.
Pets and parcels will be excused from customs checks and any medicine approved by British regulators can be distributed in Northern Ireland.
The British Government now has the power to make decisions over VAT for the province once again.
The European Court of Justice will continue to have a role in the application of single market rules but the Northern Ireland Assembly will have a veto over rules emanating from Brussels; under the new ‘Stormont Brake’, the assembly could vote against an EU law and the British Government could then veto it.
The DUP has said it will now examine the text and then decide whether to endorse the deal.
— DUP (@duponline) February 27, 2023
“Without pre-empting our assessment, it seems to me that progress has been made in a number of key areas,” Sir Jeffrey said.
“But there are still issues of concern in some sectors that we think will still need to be looked at.”
Last year, the DUP collapsed the Northern Ireland Executive because of its unhappiness with the protocol and has refused to nominate a Deputy First Minister until it is reformed to its satisfaction.
Main image: DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson. Picture by: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/David Young
