Brexit: UK and EU reach deal on Northern Ireland border checks

The UK and EU have reached agreement on how rules in the Brexit divorce deal will be implemented, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland.

The government says an “agreement in principle” has been found for issues including border control posts and the supply of medicines.

Details of the agreement have not been published but are expected to be rubber stamped in the coming days. 

Separate negotiations to reach a post-Brexit trade deal are still ongoing. 

The UK left the EU in January but has continued to follow the same rules and regulations during what is known as the transition period.

The new border arrangements will apply regardless of whether the two sides agree a deal to govern their trading relationship after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.

The UK government also agreed to withdraw controversial clauses from its Internal Market Bill, which is currently going through parliament .

Ministers had threatened to use the bill to introduce powers which could override parts of the Brexit divorce deal it signed last year – the withdrawal agreement, potentially breaking international law.

It said it wanted a “safety net” to prevent a “border down the Irish Sea” in case talks with the EU broke down.

The threat had risked jeopardising the separate negotiations over a UK-EU trade deal, which are heading into a crucial stage, but the UK has now dropped plans to put the powers into law.

The agreement follows talks in Brussels between Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and EU commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, which have taken place alongside the negotiations over a new trade agreement.

Speaking after the announcement, Mr Gove said he was “delighted” and thanked the EU team for their “constructive and pragmatic approach”.

Mr Gove told reporters: “We’ve agreed stability and security for Northern Ireland”, adding: “We will be able to ensure unfettered access for goods which come from Northern Ireland to the UK” and “given certainty to businesses in Northern Ireland”.

He said there “will be some necessary checks on food and products of animal origin as they go into Northern Ireland” but added these are checks that reflect the fact that the island of Ireland has always been treated as a single zone for animal health.

Mr Gove added “there will be a small number of precautionary checks on food products when they go into Northern Ireland” but emphasised they would be “as light touch as possible”.

He said businesses in Northern Ireland would have the access to the “best of both worlds” access to the single market without infrastructure and at the same time “unfettered access to the rest of the UK market”.

‘Mr Šefčovič said the agreement had removed “one big obstacle” from the trade talks, and would create “positive momentum” for the negotiators.

Source: BBCNews