President Joe Biden has welcomed the "Windsor Framework" deal reached after lengthy negotiations between the European Union and the British government,.
The Framework has also been welcomed by leading Irish American members of Congress.
Said the president in a statement: Today’s announcement between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the Windsor Framework is an essential step to ensuring that the hard-earned peace and progress of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is preserved and strengthened.
"I appreciate the efforts of the leaders and officials on all sides who worked tirelessly to find a way forward that protects Northern Ireland’s place within the UK’s internal market as well as the EU’s single market, to the benefit of all communities in Northern Ireland.
"I am confident the people and businesses of Northern Ireland will be able to take full advantage of the economic opportunities created by this stability and certainty, and the United States stands ready to support the region’s vast economic potential.
"Joe Kennedy, our new Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, will drive this effort in close cooperation with Ambassador Jane Hartley in London and Ambassador Claire Cronin in Dublin, as well as with business leaders in Northern Ireland.
"Northern Ireland can accomplish the extraordinary when its leaders work together in common cause. And I hope – as we all do – that Northern Ireland’s political institutions are soon back up and running. Those institutions embody the principle of devolved, power-sharing, representative government at the core of the Good Friday Agreement.
"As Northern Ireland prepares to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Agreement in April, let us remember that ending decades of conflict was not easy or inevitable.
"It required hard work and determination, and an unfailing faith that a better future was possible. Today, an entire generation of young people has grown up knowing only possibility and growing prosperity—the hard-earned dividend of peace.
"I am deeply proud of the role the United States has played for decades to help achieve, preserve, and strengthen that peace enshrined in the Agreement. And I look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners in Northern Ireland, the Governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the European Union, to further that peace and prosperity."
House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member and Co-Chair of the Friends of Ireland Richard Neal (D-MA) said in a statement: “Today’s agreement is the result of constructive, continued engagement by the EU and the UK in search of joint solutions.
"I appreciate the steadfast commitment and compromise by both sides to find common ground to resolve the trade frictions related to the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, now is the time to protect the hard-earned gains of the Agreement, and to deepen EU-UK cooperation and partnership for generations to come.”
Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA) Co-Chair of the Congressional EU Caucus: “I enthusiastically commend negotiators from the European Union and the British government for reaching a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"In particular, I want to thank British Prime Minister Sunak, EU Commission President von der Leyen, and EU Commission Vice President Sefcovic. It is now incumbent upon all of the parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly to return to government and make the institutions work for all.”
Congressman William Keating (D-MA) Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee stated: “The United States continues to play a positive role in the on-going peace process in Northern Ireland, as it should.
I have consistently called for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and a U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, which the Biden Administration appointed in December. And when I led an official Congressional trip to Belfast last November, I was moved by the immense sense of optimism and economic potential I witnessed. If the right conditions are established, Northern Ireland stands to benefit from the dual access role they will hold within the EU Single Market and UK Home Market.
“With that being said, I want to express my strong support for the Windsor Framework presented yesterday by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that addresses disagreements related to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"This agreement rightly prioritizes the interests of the people of Northern Ireland. I am hopeful this Windsor Framework will enable a reestablishment of devolved institutions at Stormont to ensure a functioning cross-community government, something the people of Northern Ireland deserve. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, I look forward to the continued success of the peace process and am confident the Windsor Framework will further these efforts.”
