The Northern Irish Unionist Party (DUP) has decided not to accept the new arrangements between the UK and the EU on the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Monday that his party, which leads the unionist camp in Northern Ireland, had unanimously voted to reject the new "Windsor framework agreement", which aims to greatly simplify customs controls.

On Wednesday, the British House of Commons will vote on a central clause of the new agreement, which should allow the Northern Ireland regional parliament to veto the application of new EU provisions in Northern Ireland under certain circumstances. DUP leader Donaldson praised on Monday the "real progress" of an agreement in principle reached by London and Brussels at the end of February, but said the agreement did not address a "central issue: the imposition of EU law" in Northern Ireland, which belongs to Britain.

However, a majority in the House of Commons is considered safe even after the decision of the DUP, as in addition to the governing Conservatives, the opposition Labour Party also wants to support the veto clause. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak negotiated the agreement together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is intended to end a year-long dispute and facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The protocol originally negotiated with the Brexit withdrawal agreement had previously sparked a lot of protest on the part of the unionists.

The protocol provides for a customs border between the UK and the EU in the Irish Sea. This is intended to avoid border controls between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland in order to prevent a flare-up of old conflicts in the civil war region. However, the previous regulation brought difficulties, for example when sending packages, medicines and carrying pets.