Agreement on final stumbling blocks reached

Agreement on final stumbling blocks reached

Published: Just now

full screen UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: Dan Kitwood/AP/TT

The British government and the EU have agreed on the forms of a new so-called Northern Ireland protocol, according to information in British media such as the BBC.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is in Windsor, UK, and meets the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak there.

von der Leyen had originally intended to travel to Britain next weekend, but brought the trip forward at the same time as there were reports that a new agreement on a Northern Ireland protocol was in the works.

British governments have reached a number of different agreements with the EU on the design of the protocol, but have had difficulty getting support for it at home. Even in this case, Prime Minister Sunak will need support from strict Brexiteers in his own parliamentary ranks and not least from the Northern Irish party DUP, which makes tough demands on how it should be designed.

Sunak and von der Leyen are expected to appear together in the afternoon.

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