The UK government has wanted
to open one point in the withdrawal
agreement, the key point: the
question of the protocol on Ireland
and Northern Ireland.
Throughout these negotiations,
the EU and the UK were fully committed
to protect peace, to protect stability
on the island of Ireland.
We had to reconcile two objectives;
first, include a legally operative
solution in the withdrawal agreement
that would avoid a hard border
between Ireland and Northern Ireland;
preserve the whole island's economy
and protect the integrity of the single market.
Secondly, a point extremely important
to Prime Minister Johnson and the UK
was that Northern Ireland remains in
the UK's customs territory.
Discussions over the past days
have at times been difficult.
But we have delivered and
we have delivered together.
