World News for Students of English

03-03-2023 07:00

Britain and the European Union have agreed on a set of changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Protocol dictates how the UK and EU trade with Northern Ireland, and it’s been causing problems for political and business leaders. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen arrived in London where she met British prime minister Rishi Sunak.

The new deal follows the latest round of talks between the two leaders in Windsor, London.  After the meeting, they unveiled three key elements of the so-called Windsor Framework. Green and Red lane trade routes for goods staying in the UK and those moving to the EU will be introduced. Drugs approved for use by the UK’s medicine regulator will be available automatically in every pharmacy and hospital in Northern Ireland. UK VAT and excise changes will apply in Northern Ireland.

Difficult words: dictate (to order), VAT (a value-added tax that’s assessed on the value added to goods and services), excise (a tax on some types of goods produced and used within a country, typically alcohol or cigarettes).

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