PM Sunak, EU Von Der Leyen Reach Brexit Deal Over Northern Ireland

The European Union and the United Kingdom have reached a deal on a revamp of trade rules in Northern Ireland, following Brexit.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen adopted the deal in Windsor, London.

Their meeting followed more than a year of tense negotiations over the "Northern Ireland Protocol," which has unsettled the province 25 years on from a historic peace deal.

The UK government had threatened a unilateral overhaul of the protocol unless the EU agreed to wholesale changes, but that prospect now appears to be receding.

Von der Leyen said; "I'm looking forward to turning a page and opening a new chapter with our partner and friend."

The protocol has faced staunch opposition from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the largest pro-U.K. party in Northern Ireland, which argues that it threatens the province's place within the U.K.

The DUP is particularly angered by the prospect of EU law retaining a role in Northern Ireland.