The Windsor Framework

The European Union and the United Kingdom have acknowledged the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland. They have recognised the need to safeguard the 1998 Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and protecting North–South cooperation.

This solution was found in the form of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, an integral part of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. The Protocol:

• avoids a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, thereby enabling the smooth functioning of the all-island economy and safeguarding the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement in all its dimensions;
• ensures the integrity of the EU’s single market for goods, along with all the guarantees it offers in terms of consumer protection, public and animal health protection, and combating fraud and trafficking.

The substantive provisions of the Protocol started to apply on 1 January 2021. Pursuant to them, in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and ensure that goods from Northern Ireland can move onto the EU’s single market without restriction, a set of relevant EU rules, in particular relating to the single market for goods and the Customs Union apply to and in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland.

The Windsor Framework is the new way to refer to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, in accordance with Joint Declaration No 1/2023 of the Union and the United Kingdom, made in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 24 March 2023.

This collection is intended for information purposes only. Its content is updated regularly, and should be read in conjunction with the relevant provisions of the Windsor Framework and its annexes, in particular the notes or comments that define the application of certain legal acts for the purposes of the Windsor Framework.

Below, you will find:

• Search link for Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland related documents on EUR-Lex
• Navigation tree
• Key documents
• Summaries of EU legislation
• Search on Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland
• Additional information

Key documents

• Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community
• Decision No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 laying down arrangements relating to the Windsor Framework [2023/819]
• Recommendation No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on market surveillance and enforcement [2023/820]
• Recommendation No 2/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on Article 13(3a) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland [2023/821]
• Joint Declaration No 1/2023 of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023
• Joint Declaration of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on the application of Article 10(1) of the Windsor Framework (See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.)
• Joint Declaration of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on Article 13(3a) of the Windsor Framework (See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.)
• Joint Declaration No 2/2023 of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023
• Joint Declaration of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on the VAT regime for goods not being at risk for the Union’s internal market and on the VAT arrangements for cross-border refunds
• Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on market surveillance and enforcement
• Unilateral Declaration by the Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 taking note of the Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on market surveillance and enforcement
• Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on export procedures for goods moving from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom
• Unilateral Declaration by the Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 taking note of the Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on export procedures for goods moving from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom
• Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on the democratic consent mechanism in Article 18 of the Windsor Framework (See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.)
• Unilateral Declaration by the Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 taking note of the Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on the democratic consent mechanism in Article 18 of the Windsor Framework (See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.)
• Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on strengthening enforcement action for goods moved in parcels from another part of the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland
• Unilateral Declaration by the Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 taking note of the Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 on strengthening enforcement action for goods moved in parcels from another part of the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland
• Decision No 3/2020 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 17 December 2020 amending the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland to the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community [2020/2247]
• Decision No 4/2020 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 17 December 2020 on the determination of goods not at risk [2020/2248]
• Decision No 5/2020 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 17 December 2020 determining the initial maximum exempted overall annual level of support and the initial minimum percentage referred to in Article 10(2) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community [2020/2249]
• Decision No 6/2020 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 17 December 2020 providing for the practical working arrangements relating to the exercise of the rights of Union representatives referred to in Article 12(2) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland [2020/2250]
• Council Decision (EU) 2020/135 of 30 January 2020 on the conclusion of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Text with EEA relevance)
• Council Decision (EU) 2019/274 of 11 January 2019 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Text with EEA relevance.)
• Council Decision (EU) 2019/642 of 13 April 2019 amending Decision (EU) 2019/274 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Text with EEA relevance.)
• Five unilateral declarations of the UK and the EU of 8 January 2021​​
• Decision No 2/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 3 July 2023 adding two newly adopted Union acts to Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework (2023/1522)
• Decision No 4/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 28 September 2023 adding two newly adopted Union acts to Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework [2023/2471]
• Declaration by the Union Within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 28 September 2023 pursuant to Article 23(4), point (a), of Decision No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee
• Declaration by the UK on the authorisation of importers wishing to operate under Article 7(1)(a)(ii) and Article 7(1)(b)(ii) of Decision No 1/2023​​
• Notice concerning the declaration made by the United Kingdom within the Joint Committee pursuant to Article 23(4)(b) of Decision No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community
• Decision No 1/2024 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 16 May 2024 amending the Decision of the Joint Committee No 1/2023 [2024/2170]
• Decision No 2/2024 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 16 May 2024 adding a newly adopted Union act to Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework [2024/2134]
• Corrigendum to Decision No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023 laying down arrangements relating to the Windsor Framework (OJ L 102, 17.4.2023)

Summaries of EU legislation

• Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code
• Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 laying down Community procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use and establishing a European Medicines Agency (Text with EEA relevance)
• Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use
• Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety
• Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (Text with EEA relevance)
• Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation)Text with EEA relevance.
• Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax
• Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty Text with EEA relevance
• Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid Text with EEA relevance

Additional information

Commission Notice – Application of the Union’s veterinary medicines acquis in markets historically dependent on medicines supply from or through parts of the United Kingdom other than Northern Ireland 2022/C 494/03