BORDER ‘CLEARANCE SITES’ PROPOSED
UK DEVISES NEW PLANS FOR CUSTOMS POSTS
THE UK Government has proposed the creation of a string of customs posts along both sides of the Irish border as it seeks alternatives to the controversial backstop.
The ideas are contained in proposals sent from London to the European Union, RTE news reports.
Customs posts would be erected on both sides of the border but located five to 10 miles ‘back’ from the actual land frontier.
The proposals have been put forward as a way of avoiding Northern Ireland remaining inside the EU’s customs union for industrial goods and agri-food products following Brexit.
The scheme would also include a highly controversial proposal that goods moving from a so-called “customs clearance site” on the northern side of the border to a similar site on the southern side would be monitored in real time using GPS via mobile phone data, or tracking devices located on trucks and vans.
The ideas are contained in one of four “non-papers” submitted by UK negotiators during recent discussions in Brussels.
Under the proposals, both the UK and EU would create what are to be called “customs clearance sites”, a kind of customs post.
Businesses would have a choice of either a straightforward customs declaration which would have to be lodged and
cleared on either side of the border, or the so-called “transit” system.
Under the transit scheme, the exporter becomes a registered “consigner” at base, and the importer becomes a registered “consignee”.
This method would require a bond from a financial institution to guarantee that the relevant customs duty, excise and VAT have been paid and that the goods do not go illegally off the beaten track en route.
RTE reports the UK proposals have been discussed in talks with the European Commission’s Brexit Task Force led by Michel Barnier.
However, the details have yet to be shared with EU member states.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has long argued that the backstop — which would require Northern Ireland to remain in the single market and customs union in order to prevent a socalled “hard border” — could be replaced with “alternative arrangements”.
The fresh proposals would effectively give rise to customs infrastructure, albeit at some distance from the actual border.
RTE reports there could be up to 10 such posts on either side of the border.
According to the plans, larger companies could apply for Authorised Economic Operator status in a bid to minimise the level of customs checks.
However, smaller businesses would likely find this status too expensive.