The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed on April 10, 1998, and it brought an end to the three decades of violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. The agreement was the result of years of negotiations, and it was a historic moment in the history of Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
One of the key provisions of the agreement was the recognition of the Irish-British border as a “soft” border. This means that there are no physical barriers, such as border crossings or customs checks, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The agreement was a significant step forward in resolving the conflict in Northern Ireland, but it also had implications for the Irish-British relationship. One of the key issues was the question of how to manage the flow of goods and people across the border.
Since both the UK and Ireland are members of the European Union, there were no restrictions on the movement of goods or people across the border. However, with the UK`s decision to leave the EU, the future of the Irish-British border has become a central issue in the Brexit negotiations.
The UK government has committed to avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but it has been a difficult issue to resolve. The EU has insisted that there must be regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and the rest of the EU, which would effectively keep Northern Ireland within the EU`s single market and customs union.
The UK government has rejected this proposal, as it would create a customs border within the UK. Instead, the government has proposed a technological solution to manage border checks, but this has been met with skepticism by both the EU and politicians in Northern Ireland.
The issue of the Irish-British border remains a significant challenge for the Brexit negotiations, and it is likely to be a key issue in the coming months. However, the Good Friday Agreement remains a cornerstone of the peace process in Northern Ireland, and it is important that any solution to the border issue does not undermine the agreement or the progress that has been made since its signing.
