The European Union believes it can reduce the number of customs controls required for the transport of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. According to European plans, only a few trucks need to be checked every day, said EU Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic FT.
The EU and the UK have long disagreed on Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit position.
As part of the UK’s exit, Northern Ireland remained within the European single market, while the rest of the UK closed that door behind them. By keeping Northern Ireland within it, the Good Friday Agreement managed to survive.
Although the British themselves came up with this solution, they now want to get rid of this deal. In the current situation, customs controls have to take place when products go from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. According to the British, this undermines the British domestic market. That’s why they now want to get rid of those customs checks.
In May, then foreign minister Liz Truss introduced legislation to unilaterally adjust the Brexit deals. Truss himself has been at the helm in the UK since last week. The new prime minister told the House of Commons last week that he prefers a negotiated solution with the EU, although the EU must meet all British requirements, according to Truss.
However, Sefcovic sees enough clues to start negotiating again. According to him, the difference between the British requirements (no customs checks) and the European offer (minimum checks) is small. With the right technique, some of the checks can be done remotely when the trucks are on the ferry. “So only a few trucks a day have to be physically checked,” the Slovakian said in a statement FT.
Negotiations between the EU and the UK broke down at the end of February. Since then, the parties have not officially met to discuss the Northern Ireland border issue. There are also no plans for new rounds of negotiations.
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