A temporary customs arrangement has been proposed as a solution to the border on the island of Ireland post-Brexit by Theresa May’s government.
In the circumstances in which the backstop (which will see Northern Ireland remaining aligned with the EU) is agreed to apply, the UK has said a temporary customs arrangement should exist between the UK and the EU.
If agreed, the arrangement would see:
The elimination of tariffs, quotas, rules of origin and customs processes, including declarations on all UK-EU trade.The UK outside the scope of the Common Commercial Policy (CCP), except where it is required to enable the temporary customs arrangement to function. This will mean applying the EU’s common external tariff (CET) at the UK’s external border, alongside the Union Customs Code (UCC) and such other parts of the Common Commercial Policy that are required to enable the temporary customs arrangement to function.The UK able to negotiate, sign and ratify free trade agreements (FTAs) with rest of world partners and implement those elements that do not affect the functioning of the temporary customs arrangement.Time-limited
In the proposal the UK makes it clear that the temporary customs arrangement, should it be needed, would be time-limited, and that it will be only in place until the future customs arrangement can be introduced.
“The UK is clear that the future customs arrangement needs to deliver on the commitments made in relation to Northern Ireland. The UK expects the future arrangement to be in place by the end of December 2021 at the latest.
“There are a range of options for how a time limit could be delivered, which the UK will propose and discuss with the EU,” the proposal reads.
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Commenting on the proposal, Mairead McGuinness MEP and first vice-president of the European Parliament said it was a long overdue step that is insufficient and incomplete.
“The proposal for a temporary customs arrangement will need to be further studied but appears to go only part of the way to what has already been agreed. There is much work to do,” she said.
Michel Barnier has said any backstop must be “all weather”, applicable until there is an agreement on the future relationship between the EU and UK that avoids a hard border.
"It is therefore concerning that the paper appears to want a time limit on the arrangement,” McGuinness said.
“The paper is also silent on regulatory standards, a key part of avoiding any border checks.
“On this basis one would expect that a second paper is in preparation dealing with the complex issues of regulatory alignment.
The proposal for a temporary customs arrangement will need to be further studied but appears to go only part of the way to what has already been agreed
“My concern is that the UK has produced this customs proposal and changes to the withdrawal text just weeks before the June Council meeting.
“Given that it does not fully deal with all the issues that might impact on the Northern Ireland aspect, an agreement at the June council would seem impossible at this stage.
“It is to be hoped that this is not a negotiating strategy by the UK to shift the Northern Ireland issue into the autumn when we are up against the clock.
“Perhaps it reflects the ongoing and bitter divisions within the UK government on the Brexit negotiations.
“The people I represent are concerned about this and fearful for the future without full agreement on the backstop to avoid a hard border," she said.
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A temporary customs arrangement has been proposed as a solution to the border on the island of Ireland post-Brexit by Theresa May’s government.
In the circumstances in which the backstop (which will see Northern Ireland remaining aligned with the EU) is agreed to apply, the UK has said a temporary customs arrangement should exist between the UK and the EU.
If agreed, the arrangement would see:
The elimination of tariffs, quotas, rules of origin and customs processes, including declarations on all UK-EU trade.The UK outside the scope of the Common Commercial Policy (CCP), except where it is required to enable the temporary customs arrangement to function. This will mean applying the EU’s common external tariff (CET) at the UK’s external border, alongside the Union Customs Code (UCC) and such other parts of the Common Commercial Policy that are required to enable the temporary customs arrangement to function.The UK able to negotiate, sign and ratify free trade agreements (FTAs) with rest of world partners and implement those elements that do not affect the functioning of the temporary customs arrangement.Time-limited
In the proposal the UK makes it clear that the temporary customs arrangement, should it be needed, would be time-limited, and that it will be only in place until the future customs arrangement can be introduced.
“The UK is clear that the future customs arrangement needs to deliver on the commitments made in relation to Northern Ireland. The UK expects the future arrangement to be in place by the end of December 2021 at the latest.
“There are a range of options for how a time limit could be delivered, which the UK will propose and discuss with the EU,” the proposal reads.
Reaction
Commenting on the proposal, Mairead McGuinness MEP and first vice-president of the European Parliament said it was a long overdue step that is insufficient and incomplete.
“The proposal for a temporary customs arrangement will need to be further studied but appears to go only part of the way to what has already been agreed. There is much work to do,” she said.
Michel Barnier has said any backstop must be “all weather”, applicable until there is an agreement on the future relationship between the EU and UK that avoids a hard border.
"It is therefore concerning that the paper appears to want a time limit on the arrangement,” McGuinness said.
“The paper is also silent on regulatory standards, a key part of avoiding any border checks.
“On this basis one would expect that a second paper is in preparation dealing with the complex issues of regulatory alignment.
The proposal for a temporary customs arrangement will need to be further studied but appears to go only part of the way to what has already been agreed
“My concern is that the UK has produced this customs proposal and changes to the withdrawal text just weeks before the June Council meeting.
“Given that it does not fully deal with all the issues that might impact on the Northern Ireland aspect, an agreement at the June council would seem impossible at this stage.
“It is to be hoped that this is not a negotiating strategy by the UK to shift the Northern Ireland issue into the autumn when we are up against the clock.
“Perhaps it reflects the ongoing and bitter divisions within the UK government on the Brexit negotiations.
“The people I represent are concerned about this and fearful for the future without full agreement on the backstop to avoid a hard border," she said.
Read more
NI falling behind on post-Brexit ag policy
Colm McCarthy: Irish border not the only contentious Brexit issue
Bord Bia identifies top markets in bid to beat Brexit
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