Michel Barnier blasts UK position on Northern Ireland
3 min read
The UK cannot use Ireland as a “test case” for its future border relations with the European Union, Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier said today.
In a scathing assessment of the British proposals for the Ireland-Northern Ireland border, the French official said he was “worried” and that the plans were “unfair”.
Both sides in the negotiations have stressed the importance of upholding the Good Friday Agreement and avoiding a return to a hard border.
The UK has proposed exempting small businesses from any new customs requirements if moving goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and offering reduced bureaucracy for "trusted traders".
Minsters have also floated the possibility of new technology being used to track goods, thereby taking away the need for border posts to be brought back.
But at a press conference in Brussels Mr Barnier offered a dim view of progress over the Ireland issue, saying: “We are not there yet.”
“What I see in the UK’s paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland worries me,” he added.
“The UK wants the EU to suspend the application of its laws, its customs union and its single market at what will be a new external border for the EU.
“And the UK wants to use Ireland as a kind of test case for the future EU-UK custom relations. This will not happen.
“Creativity and flexibility cannot be at the expense of the integrity of the single market and the customs union. This will be not fair for Ireland, and it would not be fair for the European Union.”
The comments are further evidence that Britain will be able to move to the second phase of talks - on its future trade arrangements - in October, as previously planned.
The BBC reported today that the EU could seek an entirely separate Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.
In position paper on the issue published today, the bloc said the onus to "propose solutions which overcome the challenges" of the Irish border was on the UK.
Labour MP Conor McGinn, a supporter of the pro-EU Open Britain group, said: "It is critical that the Government does not play politics with an issue as important as the Irish border.
"We need a solution that reflects the border's unique geography and history. It is crucial that the Northern Ireland border is not used by the Government as a test case for future UK-EU customs relationship.
“Any hardening of the border would be disastrous, putting both the economy and political stability at risk.
“The only way to retain a frictionless border on the island of Ireland, for goods and for people, is for the UK remain a member of the single market and the customs union.”
DIVORCE BILL 'BACKTRACKING'
Elsewhere Mr Barnier raised concerns that the UK was “backtracking” on its position over the so-called Brexit divorce bill tallying up its financial commitments.
The UK recognised in July that it had financial obligations for commitments before it voted to quit the bloc.
But today Mr Barnier said: “I’ve been very disappointed by the UK position as expressed last week because it appears to be backtracking.”
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