17.4.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 102/91
JOINT DECLARATION No 2/2023 OF THE UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE JOINT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE AGREEMENT ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY of 24 March 2023 The Union and the United Kingdom wish to restate their commitment to make full use of the structures provided for in the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (‘the Withdrawal Agreement’), namely the Joint Committee, the Specialised Committees and the Joint Consultative Working Group to oversee the implementation of the Agreement.
They will assist each other in carrying out tasks which flow from the Windsor Framework (1) in full mutual respect and good faith, in accordance with Article 5 of the Withdrawal Agreement.
The United Kingdom recalls its unilateral commitment to ensure full participation of the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom’s delegation to the Joint Committee, and in that context its determination to ensure that the application of the Windsor Framework should impact as little as possible on the everyday life of communities.
The Union and the United Kingdom intend to organise meetings of the relevant joint bodies on a regular basis in order to foster dialogue and engagement.
In this context, the Specialised Committee on the implementation of the Windsor Framework may provide for exchanges of views on any future United Kingdom legislation regarding goods of relevance to the operation of the Windsor Framework.
In particular, this would allow the United Kingdom and the Union to assess the potential impact of that future legislation in Northern Ireland, anticipate and discuss any practical difficulties at stake.
To that end, the Specialised Committee may convene in a specific composition, namely the Special Body on Goods.
It may request, if necessary, the Joint Consultative Working Group and any of its relevant sub-groups composed of experts from the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government to examine and provide information on a particular issue.
As appropriate, representatives from businesses and civic society stakeholders may be invited to attend relevant meetings.
The Specialised Committee may make relevant recommendations to the Joint Committee as needed.
The Union and United Kingdom are committed to resolving any issues in the operation of the Windsor Framework in the best and most expeditious way possible.
The Union and the United Kingdom will use the joint bodies to address any issues that may arise in the implementation of the Windsor Framework.
Such issues can therefore be subject to dialogue in the joint bodies of the Withdrawal Agreement at the request of the Parties.
This allows the Parties to regularly discuss relevant developments of importance for the proper fulfilment of their respective obligations under the Windsor Framework.
The Union and the United Kingdom renew their commitment to make every attempt, through dialogue, to arrive at mutually satisfactory resolutions of matters affecting the operation of the Withdrawal Agreement.
To this end, the Union and United Kingdom intend to make full use of the powers of the Joint Committee, in good faith, with the aim of reaching mutually agreed solutions on issues of common interest.
Exchanges in such frameworks are without prejudice to the autonomy of the decision-making and respective legal orders of the Union and the United Kingdom.
(1) See Joint Declaration No 1/2023.