Joint Committee on European Union Affairs díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Apr 2023

EU-UK Relations and the Windsor Framework: Engagement with European Commission Vice President

An Cathaoirleach

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Maroš Šefčovič. Mr. Šefčovič is vice president at the European Commission with responsibility for inter-institutional relations and foresight. He is the co-chair of the EU-UK Partnership Council, established under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as the co-chair of the EU-UK joint committee established under the withdrawal agreement.

Before we begin, and to kick off the matters formally, I will read a short note on privilege. All witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of a person or entity. Therefore, if a statement is potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, witnesses will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with such direction.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside of the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I cannot permit a member to participate if they are not adhering to this requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member partaking via MS Teams that, prior to making their contribution, they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

With that bit of housekeeping done, I have the privilege of calling on Vice President Šefčovič to make his opening statement. It is lovely to see him again, even if it is remotely this time. It is nice to have this opportunity to engage with him.

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I thank the Chair and the honourable members for inviting me to speak to them. It is always a pleasure to engage with this committee. Now it is really the occasion because the past few months have been momentous for the island of Ireland. Most recently, I had the pleasure to be with you in Dublin in the Abbey Theatre to participate in all the discussions and celebrations and to watch fantastic performances marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement. A few days after, I travelled to Belfast, where we had the opportunity to discuss, with the international community and the key architects of the agreement, the lessons learned and the importance of this agreement for peace on the island of Ireland. This was a worthy occasion because we could together remember and recall this historic agreement and how it brought peace. For so long, there had been violence and discord. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with some of the people responsible for making the agreement a reality: the negotiators from Ireland and Northern Ireland; the former US President, Bill Clinton; the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern; the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair; and also the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, who came to the location from Ireland.

Remembering the past is most valuable if it helps us to shape the future. As I have often said, and I think I said it in our last discussion in this committee, if the past 25 years have been about peace in Northern Ireland, the next 25 years should be about both peace and prosperity. In fact, this was at the centre of my engagements with business stakeholders in Belfast. One was done jointly with the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin. We had a very good discussion with the Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group. The second was done jointly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, and the US special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs, Joe Kennedy III. In both meetings, we heard how important it is for business leaders to have reassurances on legal certainty and predictability because they see them as key ingredients of a thriving business environment. Therefore, on both occasions, there was huge interest in our new agreement, but also we felt there was a huge investment appetite around the table, as well as a readiness to maximise the opportunities afforded by the Windsor Framework for Northern Ireland and Ireland for the economy of all of Ireland.

I am very pleased to be able to exchange with the committee on the framework. As we have discussed in the past, the practical challenges experienced on the ground in the operation of the protocol in Ireland and Northern Ireland required workable solutions. Together with our UK partners, we managed to find those solutions. As the committee knows well, on 27 February, the European Commission and the UK Government announced the political agreement in principle on the Windsor Framework. It was then formalised in the withdrawal agreement joint committee meeting on 24 March in London. That day, I had the honour of signing the joint committee decision laying down the arrangements relating to the Windsor Framework on behalf of the European Union. I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment, and also of solidarity with the people living on the island of Ireland.

What we put in place that day is a framework that provides practical solutions to the everyday problems being encountered by people and businesses in Northern Ireland. This would not have been possible without the support and close co-operation of all EU member states and, in particular, Ireland. I want to express my sincere gratitude to you, to the Irish Parliament and the Irish Government for your trust throughout this process.

In full respect of the legitimate interests of the EU and the UK, we found solutions in a number of areas: food, medicines, customs, VAT and excise, state aid, tariff rate quotas, governance and stakeholder engagement.

The movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, which are not at risk of entering the EU Single Market, has been made smoother for trusted traders. Consumers in Northern Ireland will find the same foods on supermarket shelves as in the rest of the UK, while safeguards will also be in place including labelling and sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, inspection facilities. A permanent solution has also been found to ensure that people in Northern Ireland have access to all medicines at the same time and under the same conditions as in the rest of the UK. The voices of stakeholders in Northern Ireland will be heard more clearly through regular engagement at each level of the withdrawal agreement structures. There is a new emergency mechanism called the Stormont brake. This will allow the UK Government, at the request of 30 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, to stop application in Northern Ireland of amended or replacing provisions of protocol-related EU law that may have significant and lasting impacts specific to everyday life there. The mechanism would be triggered by a well-defined process set out in the joint committee decision on the Windsor Framework. Finally, a matter of key importance to us is that the role of the European Court of Justice has not changed. It remains the sole and final arbiter of EU law. We now have a strong political commitment to solve future challenges together, before they turn into disputes. We must now focus on the implementation of the framework and its joint solutions. The British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, and I have agreed to work intensively and faithfully to implement all elements of the Windsor Framework. On our side, the Commission has already transmitted to the Council the legislative proposals necessary to implement our part of the framework. Our co-operation with both the European Parliament and the Council remains excellent. We are in constant contact with our UK partners who are likewise working hard on their implementation work.

I say to members of the committee that the Windsor Framework is an opportunity for us to turn the page and move forward in a spirit of mutual trust and shared objectives.

To turn to the EU-UK trade and co-operation agreement, TCA, we look forward to working with the UK to fully exploit its potential using the structures established by the agreement. On 24 March, the British Foreign Secretary and I co-chaired a meeting of the partnership council, which oversees the implementation of the TCA. We agreed to advance implementation of the agreement in different areas including energy, security and the UK's participation in Union programmes.

An Cathaoirleach

We lost contact with Mr. Šefčovič for a few moments, but we can now see and hear him again.

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I saw that I had disappeared from the screen, but I am back now. I will continue.

We will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the entire agreement, in particular as it relates to the level playing field commitments. At the same time we must continue to address more difficult topics, such as the retained EU law Bill, and the Bill of Rights Bill. The UK is of course entitled to diverge from the EU if it wishes to do so, but more divergence carries more costs and will further deepen the barriers to trade between the EU and the UK. Having said that, I believe we have a mutual interest in the trade and co-operation agreement working well. To conclude, I once again thank the committee for its support and trust. I am convinced that a stable and positive relationship between the EU and the UK, based on the international agreements we have both signed and ratified, is in our mutual interest. At at time when western unity is so important, our shared values and objectives should inspire us to work together in a spirit of partnership to address the common challenges we face. The EU continues to play its part. I thank the committee for its attention and I look forward to hearing its views and answer any questions.

An Cathaoirleach

I thank Mr. Šefčovič for his contribution. A number of members have questions for him. As this is a time-constrained meeting, I will ask members to limit their contributions to an initial five-minute question. People can come back in depending on how things flow after that. This is to make sure everybody gets a chance to ask a question and receive a detailed reply.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I welcome Vice-President Šefčovič, and congratulate him on his great patience and the work he has considered. I also remind him that his invitation to Dundalk and the Border crossings still stands. Someday, hopefully, we will see them disappear altogether. The Commissioner has spoken of the importance of the Good Friday Agreement. We all agree there has been spectacular solidarity across Europe in terms of its importance. We hope that, with the Windsor Framework, we will see the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, make up its mind and join the rest of us in restoring the Northern Executive and the necessary government for the people. How does the Commissioner see the intensive engagements operating? Will he also go into some detail on the Stormont brake and how he thinks that will operate? If there is time, I would like to hear about previous engagements he has had, including with stakeholders who are not politicians. Has there been more of that recently and do business people believe any of the questions around streamlining have been dealt with in the context of the Windsor Framework?

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I thank the Deputy for his questions. I agree with him, because I was part of the discussions with the member states, that there was spectacular solidarity with Ireland. We could feel how strong the European family is when we are working together in a united approach. Part of building that solidarity was based on the fact that Ireland has always been a loyal EU member state. It has always been collegial with other member states and therefore everyone understood how important these questions and issues are for Ireland. Its solidarity and investment in working closely with its EU colleagues and member states really paid off. In many meetings, the support from member states was clear and unequivocal. I can say the same about the European Parliament. If it comes to the mechanism of intensive engagement, the Deputy has been well informed that we have been doing our utmost to be in permanent and constant touch with different parts of society and with stakeholders in Northern Ireland.

We had, I believe, more frequent meetings with chambers of commerce and with business stakeholders. We have been working right across the civic society and had interactions with Professor Katy Hayward and with Peter Sheridan. I very much appreciate the interactions we had with them. We also had regular exchanges with all leaders of the political parties In Northern Ireland. I was very glad to meet my interlocutors, almost all of them, when I was in Belfast last week. I must also highlight that we are looking forward to further intensified engagement with stakeholders. We will do it on several levels. We agreed in these meetings with Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr. Chris Heaton-Harris, and the business leaders, what would be the best way forward. I believe our teams will talk to each other tomorrow when we have a specialised committee on the implementation of the Windsor Framework. Our teams will be talking to each other for the whole day, to make sure everything that was agreed is properly implemented, and implemented on time. Part of this discussion will also be around how to provide the business communities with a detailed joint guidance. I believe we will get a lot of positive remarks and feedback on the Windsor Framework but we also understand that the business operators need to know the details, the timelines and the nitty-gritty of how this would be operationalised. This is what our teams will discuss tomorrow. We agreed that we would make sure the business community will get the joint guidance by the UK and EU, so it would be very clear how all these arrangements should be properly implemented by the business operators.

The second very important element is that part of the increased engagement with the stakeholders will be refurbished and enhanced work of the joint working consultative groups. We decided that we would structure it in a way that it would be corresponding to more priorities of the business life and they would be focusing on the specific sectors and areas. We are ready in this body, and also in our in-house proposals, for business and stakeholders consultations when it comes to impact assessment or our new legislation. We have possibilities for Ireland stakeholders to speak up, to present their views and to make sure that there are well informed of any specificities or any particularities, which we need to know in relation to Northern Ireland, and of course so that they have access to European Single Market for goods.

I believe that through this very intensive and extensive stakeholder engagement we will be able to sort out most problems and to clarify most of the issues. If this is still not enough, once the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly is convened and is up and running, they would have this additional measure and additional instruments, which is called the Stormont brake, which is focused on the legislation which will be updated in the future. The mechanism is quite well described in the Windsor Framework. By these extensive consultations we want to make sure they would need to use this instrument only on very rare occasions. Our aim, which I believe we share together with our UK partners, is to clarify everything - and if not everything then as much as possible - before it would reach the political level, and we have every intention to do that.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I thank Commissioner Šefčovič for his answer. Obviously, ongoing engagement is a means of ensuring that we have the best way of streamlining. That is absolutely necessary. Beyond that, as I said earlier, the Commissioner's invite to Dundalk stands. I would like to think that Commissioner Šefčovič would take me up on that in the near future.

I really appreciate the work the Commission has done, and in particular the Commissioner. Hopefully we can get to a better place with regard to the DUP playing its part in setting up the Executive. Hopefully we will not see the Stormont brake in operation. I suppose we will get more detail on its operation into the future.

Deputy Seán Haughey

The main thing I would like to do today is thank Vice President Šefčovič for the work he has done in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol and the Windsor Framework. As a previous speaker has said, Mr. Šefčovič is a very patient man and we are in admiration of his patience. It is absolutely wonderful now that we have agreed the Windsor Framework between the UK and the EU. We are very grateful to Mr. Šefčovič for his engagement on the issue. He met with business leaders and civic society in Northern Ireland throughout the whole process. All of that now has culminated in the agreement known as the Windsor Framework. Well done to all concerned.

My first question is on the Windsor Framework. How is the implementation of the Windsor Framework going at this stage? Have there been any practical changes on the ground in Northern Ireland? When does Mr. Šefčovič believe that the Windsor Framework will be fully operational in practice?

On the EU-UK Partnership Council, established under the trade and co-operation agreement, the EU-UK joint committee, established under the withdrawal agreement, and the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, established under the trade and co-operation agreement, how are all of these operating? Is Mr. Šefčovič satisfied with the way they are operating, meeting regularly, and getting down to work?

My third question is a technical one and it relates to Irish whiskey, of all things. Irish whiskey is an all-island industry. It had an all-island export value of more than €1 billion last year. Irish whiskey has a unique all-island geographic indication, GI, whereby the same production rules apply North and South. I understand that the Irish Whiskey Association is engaging with the European Commission to ensure that this all-island GI geographic indication continues to be protected. Mr. Šefčovič can come back on this question if he does not want to answer it today. With the Windsor Framework now in place does the Commission see scope for closer engagement with the UK Government to ensure seamless governance of all-island geographic indications, like the Irish whiskey example? I appreciate that this is a technical question. I understand there are discussions going on with the Commission and the Irish Whiskey Association so I would be interested to know the outcome of that.

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I thank Deputy Haughey for his kind words. After we conclude the agreement, and when we will look at the whole process with our team, I believe that as public officials and civil servants, we will very rarely have had such a sense of accomplishment and the feeling that we did something that is very important, that is right and good, and which will really affect the daily lives of the people in Northern Ireland and also in Ireland on the whole island. There has been a lot of effort and energy put in.

We benefited a lot from the trust and support from Ireland and I would like to thank you for that. On the system which is set up and the structure of the committees, we have committees working under the withdrawal agreement, and there is one very important specialised committee which will meet the day after tomorrow. It will be a back-to-back, whole-day session where our teams will go through the timeline, and all the commitments and undertakings that have been agreed to in the Windsor Framework in great detail. As one can imagine the Windsor Framework is a document underpinned by a lot of additional legal documents so it is a very thorough and rather thick document. Our teams will go through all the documents to see what they mean from the perspective of the timeline, and what the concrete steps and measures that have to be undertaken are by both sides.

The immediate priorities from our side are to present new legislative proposals for medicines; sanitary and phytosanitary controls; and also for tariff, freight and quota setting with steel. This is ongoing and on the UK side an example I will use is the work on making sure our access to the IT system is as seamless as possible and that there is proper information. We gave our British partners certain accommodations to make sure that once we received the data from the IT system that we can process it, use our risk analysing tools, and that the system will work properly. These are a few examples of what we are working on right now. The whole Windsor Framework and all the steps will have to be undertaken will be the work clearly for this year but also for the beginning of next year, depending on how all these issues are sequenced.

It is also important for the committee to know that we agreed with the UK that all of these arrangements have to be balanced. We will proceed in a way that the UK will deliver on the safeguards and we will deliver on the necessary facilitation. This is how the work is being prepared, structured, and how we will continue. To date, what also might be of interest to the committee is the fact that we are opening a new chapter. The trade and co-operation agreement is very important, and to highlight how massive our relationship is with the UK and how important this work is the fact that there are 19 committees or sub-committees under the partnership council. They are structured along different lines of co-operation, and different sectors where we need to work together. I think the work between the teams and experts is good. As one can imagine the road has been a little bumpy over the past two years because we had ongoing negotiations, unilateral elections, and it all had an impact on the work on other structures. It is now closed, it is over, and as you say on your island it is water under the bridge. We now want to focus on the future and on making sure our teams working in the committees work as smoothly as possible to minimise problems and to bring only the issues where it is difficult to find solutions to the political level. We believe that through the diligent work of our experts and technical teams we can ensure the relationship between the EU and the UK because we are very big trading partners, allies and eternal neighbours who share the same values. The potential for co-operation is huge so that it be managed to the satisfaction of both parties.

When it comes to the parliamentary dimension of the co-operation, we had the first meetings of the general assemblies of the European and UK Parliaments. There were quite dynamic debates on both occasions. I participated in both, in Brussels and also in London. It is good to have a parliamentary dimension to this relationship so I am sure that this will continue. We will now focus very much on the proper implementation of the agreements and also on the future.

When it comes to the geographical protection and the question of the protection of Irish whiskey, this is a quite technical question and I know our team is working on it. I can provide greater detail and a proper answer in writing, rather than say something in the shortterm which will then have to be adjusted. If there is need to go into greater detail for the Irish Whiskey Association representative we will be ready for that.

Deputy Marian Harkin

I wish the Commissioner good afternoon and thank him for his time. Like everyone here I want to genuinely thank him for the huge commitment he has shown and, as everybody has said, his unending patience. As the Commissioner explained and as we know, there is a huge level of detail in the Windsor Framework because that will underpin everything. We have an expression here that an issue is "in safe hands", and in my opinion the Windsor Framework was in safe hands when he was dealing with it at an EU level. There is a genuine sense that people are grateful that hurdle has finally been cleared and the Commissioner's role in it was extremely important.

I have one or two quite specific questions about the framework itself. The Commissioner mentioned level playing field commitments. Will he expand on that a little? I might come back with a supplementary question depending on his response. What safeguards are there where a possible divergence in standards occurs? What is in place to help guarantee that level playing field?

My second questions is that we are looking at the free trade of goods but we have restricted trade in services. Will the Commissioner elaborate a little on that? To give a concrete example will there be any impact on companies from Northern Ireland who wish to tender for work in the Republic? Is there any impact on those companies? How will that be worked out given that we have a restricted trade in services?

Finally, on the issue of state aid it says here that Article 10(1) of the protocol states that EU state aid rules are to be applied in cases where aid provided to companies could affect trade in goods and electricity between Northern Ireland and the EU, and that the framework itself contains a Joint Declaration on circumstances in which this material effect could occur. Obviously state aid rules between the Republic and Northern Ireland and their impact are very important. Is the Commissioner reasonably satisfied that the protections are robust enough to ensure, to say it straight out, that we are not negatively impacted by changes in the state aid regime in Northern Ireland?

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I thank Deputy Harkin and appreciate her words and her assessment in this particular case.

The people do see these steps and this agreement as something that will help them in their daily lives. They see that their businesses will be in a better position to strive and develop thanks to this arrangement. This was my impression when I had the chance to have spontaneous encounters with people, be it in Ireland or Northern Ireland. In many of the encounters my team and I have had, a sense of relief was palpable about the fact that we found good solutions and that we are focusing on the positive resolution of the problem and the future. My team is in almost permanent engagement with stakeholders in Northern Ireland.

When it comes to the question about the level playing field, this was, of course, the big topic throughout the negotiations on the trade and co-operation agreement and when the big agreements were being negotiated and finalised. Over recent years we have seen that there might be challenges here and there and, therefore, some of the issues needed to be clarified. When it comes to Article 10 on state aid, as part of our joint committee proceedings we have agreed a Joint Declaration and common understanding of how state aid rules should be implemented and explained. We have full understanding I believe, and I do not think there will be any negative impact on Ireland because it was carefully negotiated. It is a balanced agreement and I believe it will work well for Ireland, the EU and the UK.

With regard to VAT, we deployed a bit of creativity. Once again we used the logic of goods that are not at risk of moving to the Single Market. For example, if the UK Government decided it would like to have a zero rate for photovoltaic panels built into buildings in Northern Ireland, it would not affect the Single Market or the economy in Northern Ireland. This is the same logic we applied to other areas, just to make sure we were being practical as possible. This practical approach has helped us to solve many very detailed and practical issues, from potato seeds to pets to VAT for photovoltaic panels. We got feedback from people on the ground. We have listened very carefully to everyone and we have been focusing on how to resolve the problems and, at the same time, to protect the integrity of the Single Market. I believe we have accomplished this.

If we look at the Windsor Framework and the protocol, the big focus of both of these agreements and documents is on how to arrange movement, especially from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. With the Windsor Framework we have been able to find solutions that are very important for identity issues and making sure that people find on their supermarket shelves the goods they are used to having. It will help to have equal access to medicines in Northern Ireland at the same time as in the rest of the UK. At the same time, we have ensured that if goods are at risk of moving into the Single Market the proper safeguards are in place. Therefore, I believe the arrangements we have put in place will bring more investment to Northern Ireland and better prosperity. We know that if our neighbour is doing well we are also doing well. I believe this will have a positive impact on the all-Ireland economy. I believe Ireland will also benefit from greater prosperity in Northern Ireland. This is how it should be between neighbours and especially on the island of Ireland. We know of the close ties between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

An Cathaoirleach

Deputy Harkin said she might have a follow-up question.

Deputy Marian Harkin

I mentioned to Commissioner Šefčovič the fact we have restricted trade in services and I gave an example. I do not expect a detailed answer. Perhaps Commissioner Šefčovič might send it on to me afterwards if he can. I would appreciate it. Many companies from Northern Ireland tender for work in the Republic. Will the Windsor Framework have any impact on this? I am quite happy to receive a written answer later if it suits better.

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

It has not changed. I can read a more detailed text. If it is still not at the level of detail Deputy Harkin needs we will be very happy to come back to her. The question she is referring to is covered by the agreement between the Commission and the UK Government.

EU State aid rules referred to in Article 10(1) are only applicable to subsidies that have a genuine and direct link to Northern Ireland. For this genuine and direct link to exist, the subsidy in question needs to have real foreseeable effects on trade between Northern Ireland and the EU. These effects should be material, rather than merely hypothetical or presumed. The mere placement of goods on the Northern Ireland market is therefore not sufficient, on its own, to create a genuine and direct link.

This is when it comes to goods. I understand Senator Harkin has been referring to services and tendering work. If I understand correctly, this is about looking for workers to work in Northern Ireland. To provide Senator Harkin with a detailed answer I will have to consult with our experts. I do not think the Windsor Framework focuses on this specific issue. The bigger topic is most probably covered by the agreement but I would prefer to give Deputy Harkin a precise answer, most probably in writing, so as not to mislead anyone.

Deputy Marian Harkin

I thank Commissioner Šefčovič.

An Cathaoirleach

We are coming into our last ten minutes and I appreciate that we gave a commitment on time.

Senator Michael McDowell

I apologise to Commissioner Šefčovič for being late arriving at the meeting. I was on my feet speaking in a House of Parliament here on the Finance Bill. My point is simple and it should not cause Commissioner Šefčovič any trouble. I simply want to put on the record my gratitude to him for the incredible degree of pragmatism, determination and diplomacy he has shown in bringing the Windsor Framework document to what appears to be a successful conclusion. The Irish people are very grateful to him for what he has done. They believe this is the way forward. Despite the initial hesitancy on the part of some in Northern Ireland to reinstate the power-sharing Executive at this point, Commissioner Šefčovič's contribution has been immeasurable and will always stand to him. Again I say how deeply grateful we are to Commissioner Šefčovič.

An Cathaoirleach

I thank Senator McDowell and I echo his words. I thank Commissioner Šefčovič very much for his work. I had the opportunity to meet him over a year ago when things looked very different. I remember speaking to him at that time. The one thing that came through incredibly to me was that for someone who was not an Irishman his fundamental understanding of the need for patience when tackling an issue that is as complex as can be when it comes to Northern Ireland. Overwhelmingly he moves at the pace that is required.

He has that patience and he works it and works it until a solution can be arrived at. Over that last period of time, we owe him such a great debt of thanks and have to acknowledge that incredible work was done. We also acknowledge the work done by the current British Government in moving and wanting to bring a resolution to this. It is a credit to everyone involved to have got the conclusion but particularly to Commissioner Šefčovič for that work he did in those hours, days and times when people were not really moving in the right way. I also thank the Commissioner for his time today and for engaging with our committee as I know he has on many occasions, and for taking the time to answer members' questions. I look forward to further engagement which I believe will be needed at various points. In concluding today's meeting, my thanks go again to him and to his staff and to the members who participated. With that, I hand back to Commissioner Šefčovič for a final word.

Mr. Maroš Šefčovič

I thank the Chair and I also thank Senator McDowell for his kind words. We very much appreciate them, the support, and as I said, the trust. I can tell you we did our utmost to make sure our negotiating team was full of the best people in the Commission. They are patient, diligent, great economists, and lawyers who have a lot of experience with handling very difficult negotiations and who, over the years, have built the trust and understanding also with the UK partners despite, as has been said, the rather difficult moments we have gone through over the past year. I remember some of our meetings very well. I fully understood at that time how crucial this question is for Ireland. I understood all the concerns about how the whole relationship between the EU and the UK would evolve. Therefore, we had a steadfast commitment to peace on the island of Ireland and a clear commitment that there would, under no circumstances, be a hard border on the island. We worked with our UK partners to ensure to find a solution which worked for Northern Ireland, for the island, and for the economy of the whole island, and that not only Northern Ireland would benefit from this exclusive access to - and I am referencing Joe Kennedy III here - to the best worlds of both markets. We also wanted to manage to protect the integrity of the Single Market and under no circumstances put Ireland and its economy under any negative pressure. It was not easy work but we were working with a great team and we always had very strong, almost constant, interaction with the Irish Parliament and Government. We got a lot of advice from this side and it was always very much appreciated.

I would also like to reassure the committee that, as we did in the past, we recorded its requests. I know we owe the members an answer on Irish whiskey. We only announced that we were tendering the work and will be looking into this matter in order to provide a precise response. Once again, I thank the committee for its kind invitation to have another interaction and the possibility of exchanging views on what is a very important development in EU-UK relations. Of course, we are always available to the Irish Parliament and Government to work with them as closely as possible to make sure, not only that the good agreements are in place, but that they are properly implemented. Once again, I thank the members for the support, trust, and for their kind words.

An Cathaoirleach

I thank Vice-President Šefčovič very much. With that, I conclude our meeting today. The committee will now stand adjourned until our next meeting which is at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

The joint committee adjourned at 3.54 p.m. sine die.