The objectives of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland agreed between the UK and the EU in 2019 are to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions; to respect Northern Ireland’s integral place in the United Kingdom, its internal market and customs territory; to uphold the essential state functions and territorial integrity of the United Kingdom; to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland; and to help protect the EU’s Single Market. It is now widely accepted by all parties that the current operation of this Protocol does not fully support these objectives and that changes are needed if ... (full story)