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  ( 1 )

The United Kingdom notes that the joint solutions announced in Windsor are intended to constitute a series of practical and sustainable measures to address, in a definitive way, deficiencies and situations unforeseen that have emerged since the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland (‘the Protocol’) entered into force.

The United Kingdom recognises the importance of ensuring that these arrangements are always able to command the broadest possible support across the community in Northern Ireland, in line with its responsibility to uphold the Good Friday or Belfast Agreement of 10 April 1998, including its subsequent implementation agreements and arrangements, in all its parts – and with regard to its specific responsibilities to respect the identity, ethos and aspirations of both communities. The democratic consent mechanism in Article 18 of the Windsor Framework provides an ongoing and important safeguard in that respect, alongside which the United Kingdom is committed to commissioning an independent review in the circumstances set out in its Unilateral Declaration on consent  ( 2 ) . In any such circumstances, whether following the first exercise of the democratic consent mechanism or thereafter, the United Kingdom commits to bring the recommendations of the review to the Joint Committee, recognising the responsibility of the Joint Committee under Article 164 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 to consider any matter of interest relating to an area covered by the Windsor Framework, and to seek appropriate ways and methods of preventing problems that might arise in areas covered by the Windsor Framework.

( 1 )   See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.

( 2 )   Declaration by Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the operation of the 'Democratic consent in Northern Ireland' provision of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.