Agreement between EU and United Kingdom good news for Slovakia

The agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom on the implementation of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol is good news for Slovakia, the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated in reaction to the agreement signed by European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen and British Premier Rishi Sunak on Monday (February 27).
The agreement, referred to as the Windsor Framework, contains a set of practical solutions in a wide scale of issues, including customs checks and the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, also in the field of food and agriculture, medicines, VAT and excise taxes, state aid and the involvement of Northern Irish authorities. Its aim is to achieve legal certainty and predictability for the benefit of citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland.
"I believe that reaching an agreement opens a new, better chapter in the EU's relations with the UK and will contribute to their further strengthening, especially at a time of serious geopolitical challenges in our immediate neighbourhood," stated the Slovak Permanent Representative to EU Petra Vargova.
The Windsor Framework is also perceived positively by the Slovak ambassador to the United Kingdom, Robert Ondrejcsak. "The agreement will allow us to focus on the future. The United Kingdom is a key ally for Slovakia, and the orderly relations between the EU and London are a necessary prerequisite for the further development of our strategic partnership," he said.
According to the MFA, the measures will be adopted in order to protect the integrity of the EU's internal market and the customs union, and their application will be guaranteed by a whole range of guarantees from the British side. At the same time, the Windsor Framework fulfils the EU's long-term commitment to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process on the island of Ireland," added the MFA.
The agreement reached will still be subject to further approval processes in the EU and the United Kingdom. (TASR)