On Monday, the United Kingdom and the European Union reached an agreement to resolve their complex trade disagreement related to Northern Ireland after Brexit, and they praised the deal as the beginning of a “new chapter” in their often turbulent relationship.

The “Windsor Framework,” a name given by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was unveiled after they settled on the final specifics in Windsor, which is situated near London, the Associated Press reports.

Von der Leyen told a news conference it was “historic what we have achieved today.” Sunak said there had been a “decisive breakthrough.”

This deal resolves a long-standing issue that has strained relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, triggered the collapse of the Belfast-based regional government, and undermined the decades-long peace process in Northern Ireland by enabling goods to be transported without impediment from the rest of the U.K. to Northern Ireland.

The resolution of this issue is a significant win for Sunak and puts an end to a longstanding annoyance for von der Leyen. However, the prime minister’s challenges are not over yet, as he must now convince his own Conservative Party and its Northern Irish allies to support the deal.

This task may prove more challenging, as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is currently boycotting the region’s power-sharing government until the trade arrangements are modified to meet its demands. Sunak is now waiting for the judgment of the DUP, which holds considerable sway in Northern Ireland.

Written by staff