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| Brexit: Ministers invited to read draft EU deal | Brexit: Ministers invited to read draft EU deal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cabinet ministers have been invited to read the UK's draft deal with the EU although it's not yet complete. | Cabinet ministers have been invited to read the UK's draft deal with the EU although it's not yet complete. |
| Theresa May has said the withdrawal deal is 95% done - but there is no agreement yet on how to guarantee no hard border in Northern Ireland. | Theresa May has said the withdrawal deal is 95% done - but there is no agreement yet on how to guarantee no hard border in Northern Ireland. |
| This is proving to be the most contentious area, with the UK prime minister under pressure from her own party as well as the EU. | This is proving to be the most contentious area, with the UK prime minister under pressure from her own party as well as the EU. |
| The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. | The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. |
| But as yet there is no withdrawal deal in place, and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said it was "clear that more work is needed". | But as yet there is no withdrawal deal in place, and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said it was "clear that more work is needed". |
| Mrs May has described the withdrawal agreement - covering issues like citizens' rights, the transition period and Gibraltar - as being 95% complete. | Mrs May has described the withdrawal agreement - covering issues like citizens' rights, the transition period and Gibraltar - as being 95% complete. |
| Leaving the Cabinet Office, Environment Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News it was a "great document". | |
| The UK and the EU cannot agree on the precise arrangements to avoid new border checks in Northern Ireland. | The UK and the EU cannot agree on the precise arrangements to avoid new border checks in Northern Ireland. |
| Backstop: The EU's view | Backstop: The EU's view |
| BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming | BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming |
| Brussels is more concerned about the form in which the backstop exists, not how it's exited from. | Brussels is more concerned about the form in which the backstop exists, not how it's exited from. |
| The EU is exploring the concept of a UK-wide customs arrangement to deal with the Irish border issue. But some member states want extra guarantees on rules and regulations if they are to offer the UK quota-free and tariff-free access to the single market. | The EU is exploring the concept of a UK-wide customs arrangement to deal with the Irish border issue. But some member states want extra guarantees on rules and regulations if they are to offer the UK quota-free and tariff-free access to the single market. |
| Some question if it's legally possible to agree during the Brexit talks instead of in the detailed negotiations over the future relationship that will begin after exit day. | Some question if it's legally possible to agree during the Brexit talks instead of in the detailed negotiations over the future relationship that will begin after exit day. |
| Others fret that they're being kept in the dark by the EU negotiators. But Brussels is united on two issues: the ultimate insurance policy remains a Northern Ireland-only element to the backstop, and the UK can't decide to withdraw from it on its own. | Others fret that they're being kept in the dark by the EU negotiators. But Brussels is united on two issues: the ultimate insurance policy remains a Northern Ireland-only element to the backstop, and the UK can't decide to withdraw from it on its own. |
| Both sides agreed to put in place a "backstop", also referred to as an insurance policy, that would only be triggered if a future trade deal is not in place by the end of 2020 - or if this final deal does not ensure a frictionless border. | Both sides agreed to put in place a "backstop", also referred to as an insurance policy, that would only be triggered if a future trade deal is not in place by the end of 2020 - or if this final deal does not ensure a frictionless border. |
| This is because there have been warnings that a return of visible border checks could undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland as well as damaging businesses operating on both sides. | This is because there have been warnings that a return of visible border checks could undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland as well as damaging businesses operating on both sides. |
| One option for the backstop is for the whole of the UK to remain temporarily aligned to the EU's customs union, avoiding the need for customs checks at the border. | One option for the backstop is for the whole of the UK to remain temporarily aligned to the EU's customs union, avoiding the need for customs checks at the border. |
| But how long this would last, and how the arrangement could be terminated, has not yet been settled. | But how long this would last, and how the arrangement could be terminated, has not yet been settled. |
| The government is under pressure from some Tories, as well as Labour, to publish the precise legal advice about how the arrangement would work. | The government is under pressure from some Tories, as well as Labour, to publish the precise legal advice about how the arrangement would work. |