European Parliament’s negotiator brands customs plan ‘a fantasy’
Britain’s plans for a new customs deal with the European Union have been dismissed as “fantasy” by the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator.
Guy Verhofstadt delivered his verdict as the UK proposals received a chilly welcome in Brussels.
Britain raised the stakes by setting out moves to levy VAT and customs duties on EU imports if a deal is not struck. In the first of a series of position papers, the government called for an interim customs agreement with the bloc following Brexit in March 2019. Britain would negotiate trade deals with other countries during that period.
After that time, ministers have raised the idea of Britain doing away with the need for customs checks for goods destined for the bloc by “mirroring” EU tariffs. Alternatively, the UK could negotiate agreements to reduce trade barriers and use technology to avoid long queues at ports.
But Mr Verhofstadt responded: “To be in and out of the customs union and ‘invisible borders’ is a fantasy.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon branded the proposals “daft” while Michel Barnier, the European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator, said customs arrangements could not be discussed until citizens’ rights, Britain’s exit payment and Northern Ireland’s status had been settled.