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Brexit: No checks on goods between NI and GB, says PM | Brexit: No checks on goods between NI and GB, says PM |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has briefed Conservative Party members in Northern Ireland on his Brexit deal. | |
The Brexit deal has major implications for Northern Ireland. | The Brexit deal has major implications for Northern Ireland. |
The region will continue to follow many EU rules on food and other manufactured goods, while the rest of the UK will not. | The region will continue to follow many EU rules on food and other manufactured goods, while the rest of the UK will not. |
Northern Ireland will still be part of the UK's customs territory but it will also continue to follow EU customs rules. | |
That is likely to mean new bureaucracy for trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. | |
A clip of the briefing has been widely shared on social media. So did Boris Johnson get all the details correct? | A clip of the briefing has been widely shared on social media. So did Boris Johnson get all the details correct? |
1. "There will not be checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain." | 1. "There will not be checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain." |
That is a long-standing UK government policy. | |
In 2017, it promised that Northern Ireland companies would continue to have "unfettered access" to the rest of the UK, no matter what the Brexit outcome. | In 2017, it promised that Northern Ireland companies would continue to have "unfettered access" to the rest of the UK, no matter what the Brexit outcome. |
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay has previously said there would be "limited targeted interventions" on trade from Northern Ireland into Great Britain. | |
Last month Mr Barclay said goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain would be subject to exit declarations. | |
He said that would amount to the filing of an electronic form, involving "fairly straightforward data". | |
The question then arises whether checks would ever have to be carried out to verify the accuracy of what is on the form. | |
The prime minister says no but many trade experts are sceptical about whether a policy of no checks could be maintained in the long term. | |
However, the precise details of how it would all work are yet to be explained. | However, the precise details of how it would all work are yet to be explained. |
2. "There will not be tariffs or checks on goods coming from GB to NI that are not going on to Ireland." | 2. "There will not be tariffs or checks on goods coming from GB to NI that are not going on to Ireland." |
That is highly unlikely - when it comes to checks. | |
The deal means that Northern Ireland will remain part of a "single regulatory zone" with the Republic of Ireland, a zone that will apply EU rules. | |
The EU has particularly strict rules on the importation of "products of animal origin" - that is to say meat, fish and dairy products. | |
Those products must enter the EU through a border inspection post where all shipments are subject to document checks and a high proportion are physically checked. | |
Products of animal origin from Great Britain entering Northern Ireland would be subject to these checks whether they are destined for Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. | |
A few countries, such as New Zealand, have a deal with the EU where only 1% of consignments are checked. | |
It is possible that the UK could negotiate a similar deal but it would not be able to eliminate checks entirely unless the whole of the UK was going to stay in the single market. | |
The current political declaration, which sets out the broad shape of the future EU-UK relationship, suggests that is unlikely. | The current political declaration, which sets out the broad shape of the future EU-UK relationship, suggests that is unlikely. |
There is a second issue to do with tariffs. | There is a second issue to do with tariffs. |
Goods which enter Northern Ireland from Great Britain and which are to be consumed in Northern Ireland will not have tariffs charged. | |
However, some classes of goods which are deemed "at risk" of being moved onward to the Republic of Ireland or the wider EU could be subject to tariffs. | |
If those goods are shown to have been consumed in Northern Ireland then the tariff can be rebated. | |
The definition of "at risk" and the rebate system will have to be negotiated during the post-Brexit transition period. | The definition of "at risk" and the rebate system will have to be negotiated during the post-Brexit transition period. |
3. "Northern Ireland has got a great deal. You keep free movement. You keep access to the single market." | 3. "Northern Ireland has got a great deal. You keep free movement. You keep access to the single market." |
It is not completely clear what the prime minister means by "free movement" in this context. | |
Free movement of people is one of the core principles of the EU. | |
It gives all citizens of EU countries the right to travel, live and work wherever they wish within the EU. | It gives all citizens of EU countries the right to travel, live and work wherever they wish within the EU. |
The government has promised to end free movement and that will also apply in Northern Ireland. | |
It seems that Mr Johnson was referring to the continuation of the Common Travel Area after Brexit. | It seems that Mr Johnson was referring to the continuation of the Common Travel Area after Brexit. |
It is an arrangement between the UK and Ireland that pre-dates the formation of the EU. | |
It allows passport-free travel between the UK and Ireland and gives British and Irish citizens a range of rights in each other's countries. | It allows passport-free travel between the UK and Ireland and gives British and Irish citizens a range of rights in each other's countries. |
On the single market, it is correct that Northern Ireland will have better access to the EU's single market for goods compared to the rest of the UK. | On the single market, it is correct that Northern Ireland will have better access to the EU's single market for goods compared to the rest of the UK. |
However, that does not extend to the single market for services. |