David McAllister MEP: 25 years – Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement
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20. April 2023 In Aktuell, EN

David McAllister MEP: 25 years – Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement

The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement – signed on 10 April 1998 – has provided a sustainable basis for peace in Northern Ireland for the past 25 years.

The Agreement followed a 30-year cycle of violence which had claimed more than 3,500 lives. It replaced the Troubles by a new beginning for all. The Agreement reached in April 1998 was the result of years of talks between the parties and the two Governments. It was overwhelmingly endorsed by the people across the island of Ireland in two simultaneous referendums held on 22 May 1998.

The Agreement provides for a system of devolved government in Northern Ireland and the creation of new institutions such as the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. It sets out the agreed position of the UK and Irish governments on the current and future status of Northern Ireland.

The European Union fully supports all elements of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, and the subsequent implementation agreements and arrangements. We have provided significant financial support for the peace process since 1995, through the EU PEACE and the current PEACE+ programmes, investing in cross-border cooperation programmes as well as community regeneration and transformation. EU funding under the PEACE programmes (1995-2020) amounts to EUR 1,56 billion. Under the current EUR 1,15 billion PEACE PLUS programme (2021-2027), the European Union will continue contributing in line with our strong commitment to the peace process. The Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland / Windsor Framework supports and protects the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement and avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland. The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement has been the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland for the past 25 years. I wish the next 25 years to be about peace and prosperity for all people in Northern Ireland.