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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/08/eu-to-offer-anywhere-checks-in-bid-to-break-irish-border-deadlock
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EU to offer 'anywhere' checks in bid to break Irish border deadlock | EU to offer 'anywhere' checks in bid to break Irish border deadlock |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Goods destined for Ireland after Brexit could be checked as far away as Birmingham or London as part of EU proposals designed to break the stalemate in negotiations over the Irish border. | Goods destined for Ireland after Brexit could be checked as far away as Birmingham or London as part of EU proposals designed to break the stalemate in negotiations over the Irish border. |
| It is understood the proposals for checks “away from the Irish border” envisage controls as near as possible to the source rather than the destination of the goods, meaning they could take place anywhere across the country and not just in ports such as Holyhead or Liverpool, as previously suggested. | It is understood the proposals for checks “away from the Irish border” envisage controls as near as possible to the source rather than the destination of the goods, meaning they could take place anywhere across the country and not just in ports such as Holyhead or Liverpool, as previously suggested. |
| Negotiators hope this will help address the sensitivities of the Democratic Unionist party, which is propping up Theresa May’s government and threatened to vote against any deal that involved a regulatory barrier down the Irish Sea. | Negotiators hope this will help address the sensitivities of the Democratic Unionist party, which is propping up Theresa May’s government and threatened to vote against any deal that involved a regulatory barrier down the Irish Sea. |
| A new concept of a veterinary deal between the EU and the UK to cover essential health checks on food produce is also being dangled before the British in an effort to seal a deal before a crunch EU summit on 18 October. This would be part of the political agreement that will accompany the withdrawal agreement. | A new concept of a veterinary deal between the EU and the UK to cover essential health checks on food produce is also being dangled before the British in an effort to seal a deal before a crunch EU summit on 18 October. This would be part of the political agreement that will accompany the withdrawal agreement. |
| The political agreement was expected to be presented to a meeting of EU commissioners on Wednesday 9 October but that is now thought unlikely because talks are at such a “sensitive stage” and negotiators want to make maximum progress before a declaration. | The political agreement was expected to be presented to a meeting of EU commissioners on Wednesday 9 October but that is now thought unlikely because talks are at such a “sensitive stage” and negotiators want to make maximum progress before a declaration. |
| It is now expected to be unveiled on Monday 15 October, when the so-called EU “sherpas” – bureaucrats who represent the 27 member states – meet before the 18 October summit. This will mean a “mother of all weekends” for negotiators at the end of this week. | It is now expected to be unveiled on Monday 15 October, when the so-called EU “sherpas” – bureaucrats who represent the 27 member states – meet before the 18 October summit. This will mean a “mother of all weekends” for negotiators at the end of this week. |
| It is thought this “lite” version of the political declaration would finesse the deal with the UK, with a further detailed agreement on the future relationship hammered out at a potential Brexit EU council summit in November. | It is thought this “lite” version of the political declaration would finesse the deal with the UK, with a further detailed agreement on the future relationship hammered out at a potential Brexit EU council summit in November. |
| A new veterinary agreement between the UK and the EU, as envisaged, would reduce the scale of checks on fresh food and animal feed exported to Ireland once Britain leaves the EU. | |
| Under present EU law, all products of animal origin ranging from cheese to frozen chicken coming from non-EU countries are required to undergo health and safety checks. Sometimes these involve laboratory tests and often require containers to be fully unloaded at special border inspection posts. | Under present EU law, all products of animal origin ranging from cheese to frozen chicken coming from non-EU countries are required to undergo health and safety checks. Sometimes these involve laboratory tests and often require containers to be fully unloaded at special border inspection posts. |
| One of the new suggestions on the table in Brussels is that the scale of checks could be reduced from 100% to 30% if trade talks go well up to 2020. | One of the new suggestions on the table in Brussels is that the scale of checks could be reduced from 100% to 30% if trade talks go well up to 2020. |
| This linking of the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration now seems to be key to unlocking the “deep and special” relationship May wants and at the same time reassuring the Irish over a backstop in the withdrawal agreement. | This linking of the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration now seems to be key to unlocking the “deep and special” relationship May wants and at the same time reassuring the Irish over a backstop in the withdrawal agreement. |
| There is an assumption that a deal will not be signed off until November at the earliest with the political declaration in October limited to four or five pages. | There is an assumption that a deal will not be signed off until November at the earliest with the political declaration in October limited to four or five pages. |
| Brexit talks have been held up for months over the EU and Ireland’s demands for a “backstop” or guarantee that the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland would remain open in the event of no deal. | Brexit talks have been held up for months over the EU and Ireland’s demands for a “backstop” or guarantee that the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland would remain open in the event of no deal. |
| Under the proposals being discussed in Brussels, comprehensive “market surveillance” procedures already in place under EU directives, which protect consumers and cover everything from labelling of tyres to safety of fridges and vacuum cleaners, would continue for goods destined for Ireland. | Under the proposals being discussed in Brussels, comprehensive “market surveillance” procedures already in place under EU directives, which protect consumers and cover everything from labelling of tyres to safety of fridges and vacuum cleaners, would continue for goods destined for Ireland. |
| Up to now, it has been reported that these checks would take place in British ports such as Holyhead and Liverpool, but it is understood that under the EU proposals, the checks would be done on premises, distribution centres and ports across the UK. | |
| The authorities would already be alerted to the arrival of goods from non-EU countries in ports such as Felixstowe through advance customs declarations and checks could continue in those ports. | The authorities would already be alerted to the arrival of goods from non-EU countries in ports such as Felixstowe through advance customs declarations and checks could continue in those ports. |
| Similarly, goods destined for Ireland produced in the UK could be checked in premises, whether they were in Birmingham, London or Lancashire. So-called “market surveillance authorities” already exist in every EU member state as part of the enforcement regime for standards and health and safety and the argument is that this would just continue after Brexit. | Similarly, goods destined for Ireland produced in the UK could be checked in premises, whether they were in Birmingham, London or Lancashire. So-called “market surveillance authorities” already exist in every EU member state as part of the enforcement regime for standards and health and safety and the argument is that this would just continue after Brexit. |
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