After months of negotiations, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the Windsor Framework Document, which includes some amendments to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Noting that they made a decisive breakthrough in the joint press conference they held with von der Leyen, Sunak said, "This is the beginning of a new era in our relationship."
The Northern Ireland Protocol was causing domestic political problems because of the trade barriers it created for goods from the UK to the region, which is part of the EU single goods market.
Sunak believes the new deal will reduce bureaucracy and controls and give the Northern Ireland Parliament more say. The new agreement is expected to give a positive impetus to UK-EU relations in general.