Joint statement following Gove Šefčovič meeting:

After a frank but constructive discussion, and taking into account the views expressed on 3 February by the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, the two co-chairs agreed to:

2/ reiterate their full commitment to the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, and to the proper implementation of the Protocol – protecting the gains of the peace process, maintaining stability, avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and impacting as little as possible...

3/ ...on the everyday life of communities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland
•spare no effort to implement solutions mutually agreed on 17 December, as they form a foundation for our cooperation

4/ intensify the work of the Specialised Committee on the Protocol in order to address all outstanding issues, with the shared objective to find workable solutions on the ground
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5/ underpin this work by further joint engagement by the UK and the EU with business groups and civic society in Northern Ireland
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6/ convene the Joint Committee no later than 24 February to provide the necessary political steer and approval to this work in the spirit of collaboration, responsibility and pragmatism