April 6, 2020

The meeting on 30 March 2020 was co-chaired by the UK Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, and the EU Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič, and attended by a small delegation including Member State representatives and ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive.

According to the Government’s press release, the UK and EU updated the Joint Committee on progress to implement the Withdrawal Agreement. The UK reiterated its commitment to protecting the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in all respects, and to upholding its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK emphasised its commitment to EU citizens in the UK and to ensure that UK nationals in the EU have their rights protected consistent with the Withdrawal Agreement.

The UK and EU also agreed to start the work of the six Specialised Committees on citizens’ rights, other separation provisions, Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus, Protocol on Gibraltar, and financial provisions.

The UK and EU co-chairs both welcomed the collaborative and constructive conversation, despite circumstances preventing a meeting in person.

In a statement, the European Commission said that the proper and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement was a key priority for the EU, in particular, safeguarding the rights of around 4.5 million EU citizens and UK nationals, and maintaining peace and stability on the island of Ireland in the context of the Good Friday Agreement, while ensuring the integrity of the Single Market.

Vice-President Šefčovič welcomed the UK’s commitment to continue to ensure that EU citizens can register as lawful residents in the UK, so that they can enjoy their rights granted by the Withdrawal Agreement. He confirmed that the Commission will support Member States in making sure that UK nationals in the EU will be in a position to exercise their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, and will continue to monitor that this is done correctly.

The parties agreed on the importance for the UK to set out its plans over the coming months with regard to the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. The Commission committed to working with the UK to implement the Protocol. The Commission said that there was an urgent need to present a detailed timetable and proceed with the necessary measures, such as preparing for the introduction of customs procedures for goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, and ensuring that all necessary sanitary and phytosanitary controls as well as other regulatory checks can be carried out in respect of goods entering Northern Ireland from outside the EU. To read the Government’s press release in full, click here. To read the Commission’s statement in full, click here.