Union may compromise over Brexit, says Irish PM
THE EU could compromise over giving Britain access to the single market and customs union after Brexit, the Irish prime minister has suggested.
Leo Varadkar proposed that the EU could enter into a “deep” free trade agreement with the UK after Brexit and still enjoy access to the single market.
He also suggested that the UK could follow the example of Turkey and make its own customs deal after leaving the EU to reduce red tape. But he warned he was prepared to delay Brexit talks unless he was satisfied that “sufficient progress” had been made on key issues including the Irish border, the Brexit bill and the rights of EU citizens.
The Taoiseach, who was making his first official visit to Northern Ireland, has signalled that he is prepared to make the Irish Sea the border with the UK because Dublin believes proposals to create a frictionless land border are unworkable. However, he appeared to adopt a significantly softer approach than other EU nations to other aspects of Brexit negotiations.
He said: “If the UK does not want to stay in the customs union, perhaps there can be an EU-UK customs union. We have one with Turkey. Surely we can have one with the United Kingdom?
He added: “If the UK does not want to stay in the single market, perhaps it could enter into a deep free trade agreement with the EU and rejoin EFTA of which it was a member prior to accession. And if this cannot be agreed now, then perhaps we can have a transition period during which the UK stays in the single market and customs union while these things are worked out.”
The EU’S 27 remaining nations are due to meet for a summit in October when they will decide whether enough progress has been made on the divorce settlement to allow trade talks to begin.
Mr Varadkar hinted Ireland could block the start of phase two of talks unless it is happy with proposals for the Irish border. He said he did not want there to be “an economic border on our island nor do I want one between Ireland and Britain” and that it was up to advocates of a “hard Brexit” to set out how such border controls could work.