There is one step left to resolve the dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol after the UK and the European Union (EU) reached an agreement on customs on Tuesday.
According to The Times report, the EU has accepted proposals that would avoid routine checks on goods entering Northern Ireland.
Much of the customs deal is said to be based on the UK government's proposal for a red and green lane system.
The red lane is for checking and controlling products entering the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the EU, while the green lane is for goods from Britain that remain in the region.
A separate agreement will be negotiated on meat and live animal exports to Northern Ireland, with the UK agreeing to maintain EU veterinary standards on goods entering the territory.
In addition, the bloc also agreed that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) can rule on the Northern Ireland issue only if the case is referred by a court in the region.
The EU and the UK have been struggling to finalize their post-Brexit trade deal since Britain left the bloc in 2020.
This latest development indirectly raises the hope that the dispute between the two sides will find an end soon.
