There is a clear commitment to the protection of the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and full recognition of the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland.
This includes no diminution in guarantees relating to, for example, rights and equality. The Good Friday Agreement is at the heart of the negotiations and its principles, values and institutions therefore demand our full attention.
Due to the unique nature of the issues this work will move forward in a separate strand of the negotiations. The challenging task now will be working through the detailed application of these agreed principles in the months ahead. But one thing is plain in this document: there is, in principle at least, an acknowledgement of the unique challenges facing Northern Ireland and Ireland.
To read the joint report from the negotiators of the European Union and the UK government click here.
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