The Northern Ireland Protocol, known as the "Irish backstop", was an annex to the November 2018 draft agreement that outlined provisions to prevent a hard border in Ireland following the United Kingdom`s withdrawal from the European Union. The Protocol contains a provision on a safety net to deal with circumstances in which other satisfactory arrangements have yet to enter into force at the end of the transition period. This project has been replaced by a new protocol which will be described below. Above all, Mr President, we will always work in the spirit of the interests of the citizens and businesses of Northern Ireland - as reflected in this agreement and the important flexibilities it will offer. With regard to the Irish border issue, there is a protocol on Northern Ireland (the "backstop") which is annexed to the agreement and sets out a fallback position that will only enter into force if no other effective arrangement is demonstrated before the end of the transition period. If this happens, the UK will eclipse the EU`s common external tariff and Northern Ireland will remain in some aspects of the single market until such a demonstration is achieved. None of the parties can unilaterally withdraw from this customs union. The aim of this backstop agreement is to avoid a "hard" border in Ireland where customs controls are necessary. [19] This bill aims to implement the agreement between the UK and the EU in accordance with Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, which sets out the terms of the UK`s withdrawal from the EU. www.parliament.scot/S5_Bills/SPLCM-S05-29.pdf And that`s what our agreement will do. There will be no additional requirements for Northern Irish companies for these movements, with the very limited and specific exception of trade in endangered species and conflict diamonds.

The WAB turns Boris Johnson`s withdrawal agreement, which is a draft international treaty, into British law and gives the government permission to ratify it. After the entry into force of the WAB, the Withdrawal Agreement must also be ratified by the European Parliament. But in principle, this agreement goes even further and offers additional flexibility that allows us to take advantage of the opportunities we have at the end of the transition period. He said there was no point in legislating before the UK reached an agreement with the EU on future figures. .