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Brexit: Davis considers joint EU and UK status for Northern Ireland Brexit: Davis considers joint EU and UK status for Northern Ireland
(35 minutes later)
The Brexit department has confirmed it is working to “refine” plans for post-departure customs arrangements with the EU after reports said Northern Ireland could be given joint EU and UK status and a “buffer zone” on its border with Ireland. The Brexit department has confirmed it is working to refine plans for post-departure customs arrangements with the EU after reports said Northern Ireland could be given joint EU and UK status and a “buffer zone” on its border with Ireland.
The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) declined to directly comment on the reports that Brexit secretary David Davis had proposed a modification of the so-called max fac customs scheme to avoid the need for Irish border checks or infrastructure. The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) declined to comment directly on reports that the Brexit secretary, David Davis, had proposed a modification of the maximum facilitation customs scheme to avoid the need for Irish border checks or infrastructure.
The idea, outlined in the Sun, would see Northern Ireland have a joint regime of UK and EU customs regulations, allowing it to trade freely with both, and a ten-mile-wide “special economic zone” on the border with the Republic of Ireland, thus avoiding checks there. The idea, outlined in the Sun, would see Northern Ireland have a joint regime of UK and EU customs regulations, allowing it to trade freely with both, and a 10-mile-wide “special economic zone” on the border with Ireland, thus avoiding checks there.
Asked about the plan, a DExEU spokesman said: “We have set out two viable future customs arrangements with the EU and work is ongoing to refine these.Asked about the plan, a DExEU spokesman said: “We have set out two viable future customs arrangements with the EU and work is ongoing to refine these.
“Both of these would deliver on our commitments to ensure UK-EU trade is as frictionless as possible, avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, preserve the integrity of the UK’s internal market and enable us to establish an independent international trade policy.”“Both of these would deliver on our commitments to ensure UK-EU trade is as frictionless as possible, avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, preserve the integrity of the UK’s internal market and enable us to establish an independent international trade policy.”
The two plans are max fac – short for maximum facilitation – which would seek to use technology to avoid border checks, and Theresa May’s preferred customs partnership, under which the UK would collect duties for the EU. The two plans are “max fac”, which would seek to use technology to avoid border checks, and Theresa May’s preferred “customs partnership”, under which the UK would collect duties for the EU.
The cabinet has been deadlocked on the issue. Brexiters such as Davis have objected strongly to May’s idea, but her allies warn that the technology to achieve max fac will not be ready for some time. The cabinet has been deadlocked: Brexiters, such as Davis, object strongly to May’s option, but her allies say the technology needed for max fac will not be ready for some time.
With time pressure building ahead of a key European Council summit on 28 June, May had split ministers in her Brexit inner cabinet into two teams to seek solutions, with Davis heading the max fac group. With time running out before a key European council summit on 28 June, May split ministers in her Brexit subcommittee into two teams to seek solutions, with Davis heading the max fac group.
Davis’s reported plan seems an attempt to circumvent some of the objections, but raises other issues, not least the likely objections of the EU, and of the DUP, which has pledged to fight against any scheme which would treat Northern Ireland any differently from the rest of the UK. Davis’s reported plan seems an attempt to circumvent some of the objections, but raises other issues, not least the likely objections of the EU, and of the Democratic Unionist party, which has said it will oppose any scheme treated Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the UK.
With pressure mounting to agree on a position before a summit of EU leaders on 28 June, May set up two working groups to find amendments to the schemes which could unite her feuding ministers. According to the Sun, Davis was ready to drop his support for technological solutions, after police said systems, such as number plate recognition cameras, could become a target for sectarian attack.
According to the Sun, Davis – who heads the “max fac” group – was ready to drop his support for technological solutions, after police said systems, such as number plate recognition cameras, could become a target for sectarian attack.
An unnamed Whitehall source told the Sun: “Max fac 2 is tremendously complicated, but it’s at least something the cabinet can unite around.”An unnamed Whitehall source told the Sun: “Max fac 2 is tremendously complicated, but it’s at least something the cabinet can unite around.”
Labour MP Chris Leslie, a supporter of the Brexit-opposing Open Britain campaign, said: “If there was an award for coming up with unnecessarily complicated and convoluted solutions to self-inflicted problems, David Davis would win it every year. “ The Labour MP Chris Leslie, a supporter of the Brexit-opposing Open Britain campaign, said: “If there was an award for coming up with unnecessarily complicated and convoluted solutions to self-inflicted problems, David Davis would win it every year.”
BrexitBrexit
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
European UnionEuropean Union
David DavisDavid Davis
EuropeEurope
Foreign policyForeign policy
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