Northern Ireland’s history makes post-Brexit deal complex

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

Britain and the European Union have reached a new agreement on post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland. That’s raised hopes that more than six years of wrangling over the U.K.’s exit from the bloc may finally come to an end. The deal, announced Monday by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is designed to replace existing rules that have been criticized for effectively creating a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, weakening the region’s links to Britain. The government says the new arrangements, known as the Windsor Framework, will eliminate the need for customs checks on most goods shipped to Northern Ireland from other parts of the U.K., cutting costs and reducing red tape.