Cool reaction from Brussels to prime minister’s attempt to break impasse

Brussels reacted coolly to Boris Johnson’s blueprint to break the Brexit deadlock with a plan that would see Northern Ireland effectively remain tied to EU single market rules for goods but leave the customs union.

Under his proposal, the arrangements would have to be approved by the currently suspended Northern Ireland Assembly, which would then vote every four years on whether to keep them.

In a letter to European Commission president Jean-claude Juncker setting out his plan, Mr Johnson said he believed it represented a “reasonable compromise”.

However, after speaking to the prime minister by telephone, Mr Juncker said while there had been some “positive advances”, there remained “problematic points”.

In a statement, the commission said Mr Juncker welcomed the proposals for “full regulatory alignment” between Northern Ireland and the EU.

“However, the president also noted that there are still some problematic points that will need further work in the coming days, notably with regards to the governance of the backstop.”

It expressed concern over proposed customs rules, saying they still needed a “legally operational solution” to ensure there was no return of a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar said the proposals “do not fully meet the agreed objectives” of the Northern Ireland backstop.

The Irish premier and Mr Johnson discussed the proposed plans in a phone call yesterday evening.

Afterwards, a statement from the Irish Government said: “The Taoiseach said the proposals do not fully meet the agreed objectives of the backstop...

“However, he indicated that he would study them in further detail, and would consult with the EU institutions, including the task force and our EU partners.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was swift to condemn the plan, saying it was worse than the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by Theresa May and would undermine the Good Friday Agreement. He said: “I’m sure he knows full well that what he’s put forward is unlikely to be approved.”

The DUP saw the plan as a basis for “serious and sustained engagement” between the UK and Brussels.

“These proposals would ensure that Northern Ireland would be out of the EU customs union and the single market as with the rest of the United Kingdom,” it said in a statement.

The plan would see the creation of a “zone of regulatory compliance” for manufactured goods as well as agrifood products covering the whole of the island of Ireland, which would see the North align with EU rules.

Goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK would be subject to identity and documentary checks at a border inspection post or a designated point of entry.

Northern Ireland would leave the customs union with the rest of the UK; the plan insisted this would not mean checks “at, or even near” the border.

Instead, it proposed a system of declarations for goods moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic with only a “very small proportion” undergoing physical checks at the traders’ premises or other designated locations anywhere on the island of Ireland.

Picture: PA. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.