Brussels expected to back UK over checks at Irish border
BRUSSELS will support Britain in its row with Ireland over the future of customs checks after it leaves the European Union, Brexit negotiators believe.
Leo Varadkar, the Irish Prime Minister, surprised the British Government earlier this month by suggesting that there should be a new customs border in the Irish Sea.
A formal position paper, published on Wednesday, will see ministers stick to their plan for a “light touch” customs border between Ireland and Northern Ireland using technology and spot checks.
David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, yesterday acknowledged that the dispute is likely to be “problematic” as he called for “invisible” customs checks.
However, Brexit negotiators are increasingly confident that Brussels will support Britain over the dispute.
Speaking in Edinburgh, Mr Davis said he expects an agreement over the free movement of people between Ireland and Northern Ireland will be “straightforward”.
He said: “I was sitting next to an Irish banker at a dinner of financial services, and he said what am I going to do? How am I going to be able to travel between Britain and Ireland.
“I said the same way you have been doing since 1923 when the Common Travel Area was established. That bit ought to be very straightforward. The bit that’s more problematic is making the border invisible in the way that it is now.”
On Tuesday the Government will publish a paper on customs arrangements after Brexit, followed by the paper on Northern Ireland.
However Michel Barnier, the EU’S Brexit negotiator, is refusing to negotiate on the future of Britain’s relationship with the EU until after significant progress has been made in Brexit divorce talks.
Mr Davis hopes that the publication of the position papers will help drive forward negotiations. He said: “We need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and EU.”
An ally of Mr Davis said: “David is trying to change the dynamic and drive negotiations forward.