The Windsor framework, announced by U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to address the trade disruptions caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol agreed as part of Brexit. Under the Protocol, Northern Ireland would remain part of the EU's single market for goods and operate under EU customs rules, which raised concerns among some Unionists, including members of the Democratic Unionist Party. The new deal seeks to preserve free trade by setting up green and red lanes, which would improve the availability of British goods in Northern Ireland markets, including medicines and some foods. However, the Windsor framework is not yet established as a working arrangement, and Mr. Sunak may face backlash from some hard-line Brexiteers within his party for the continued wide applicability of EU customs rules in Northern Ireland. The balance of power between Unionists and Republicans in Northern Ireland will determine the province's stance on pro- or anti-EU customs rules. The close cooperation that led to the Windsor framework will be heralded as the start of a positive phase in the U.K.-EU relationship.
