MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK and EU agree to protect Ireland's Good Friday Agreement and Common Travel Area

“It is vital that joint work on the peace process is not affected in any way, it is too important for that,” said PM May in Brussels after a meeting of EU leaders.

Prime minister Theresa May has repeated that the unique circumstances of North Ireland will require a specific Brexit solution. “It is vital that joint work on the peace process is not affected in any way, it is too important for that,” said PM May in Brussels after a meeting of EU leaders.

 In their summit conclusions, the EU leaders said there was “some progress” on protecting the Good Friday Agreement and Common Travel Area. They said these principles would need “further refinement.”

EU leaders added that they expect the UK to '“present and commit to'” flexible and imaginative solutions called for by Ireland's unique situation. Mrs May said the EU and UK were both agreed there could be no “physical infrastructure” on the Irish border.

The Irish prime minister has described Mrs May's contribution at the EU leaders meeting as “very positive”.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said she had specifically referenced the unique situation in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He said she had strengthened her language about avoiding a hard border.

Speaking at the European Council in Brussels, the Taoiseach repeated his call for the UK to provide more detail on how it will maintain an infrastructure-free border when it leaves the customs union and single market.

Mr Varadkar said he would miss the UK when it leaves, praising Mrs. May's “strong interventions” on taxation of the digital economy which he said was “very much in line” with Irish thinking.