SUMMARY
a. The Northern Ireland Protocol has been the source of acute political, economic and societal difficulties in the two years since it has been operating. The prospect of rigorous implementation of the Protocol has been regarded by communities and businesses in Northern Ireland as unworkable without lasting economic and political damage. The Protocol has already led to significant disruption in the links between Great Britain and Northern Ireland that are integral to its place in our Union and the UK’s internal market. The Government recognises that the unionist community has felt that their aspirations, identity and economic rights under the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement have been undermined, with the sense that the East-West dimension of that Agreement has been downgraded. Concerns have been raised about the implications of these arrangements for democratic governance and Northern Ireland’s place in our Union, in line with the specific provisions of the Acts of Union and the Belfast (Good Friday) agreement. This has seen power-sharing collapse, and has undermined trade between Northern Ireland and what is by far its most important market.
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Source gov.uk
