The Exiting the European Union Committee, the Committe I testified in front of on new Customs solutions in March, has published its latest report on the progress of the UK’s negotiations on EU withdrawal and highlights significant issues yet to be resolved in the remaining five months of negotiations.
On customs arrangements and trade, the Report says that it is “highly unsatisfactory” that nearly two years after the referendum, Ministers have yet to agree, and set out in detail, what kind of trading and customs arrangements they wish to seek in negotiations with the European Union.
The Government has indicated that neither the maximum facilitation proposal nor the new customs partnership, if agreed, is likely to be ready in time during the agreed 21-month transition/implementation period. The Prime Minister has alluded to “contingencies” that can be triggered in this eventuality but has not set them out. The Secretary of State has ruled out any extension of the Customs Union but in the absence of any other plan, such an extension will be the only viable option.
The Committee Chair, Hilary Benn MP, commented:
“We are rapidly running out of time to get new trade and customs arrangements in place.
Given that ministers are indicating that neither of the two options being discussed are likely to be ready by December 2020, when the transition period ends, the UK will in all likelihood have to remain in a customs union with the EU until alternative arrangements can be put in place.”
On citizen’s rights, the Report states that while the Home Office faces a number of significant challenges in delivering an orderly transition for EU citizens living in the UK, the Government has at least set out the general, overarching structure of the Settled Status application process. It is important that the process is quick, simple and available to people using a variety of technological platforms.
There is little sign, however, that the same level of organisational planning has started in many EU Member States. Member States must set out what UK citizens should do to regularise their residential status, and communicate this information clearly.
Hilary Benn said:
“The Windrush scandal has undermined trust in the Home Office’s ability to register EU citizens and process their applications. But we are just as concerned that EU member states don’t appear to have begun to plan for or communicate how British citizens will be able to regularise their stay.
Ministers should seek urgent clarification from other member states on this because British citizens need to know where they stand.”
Northern Ireland border
On the Northern Ireland border, the lack of clear proposals for maintaining a frictionless border remains a cause of concern. Although the Government’s preferred method is to do this through the overall future relationship, it has yet to decide whether to pursue a ‘new customs partnership’ or ‘maximum facilitation’ as its customs arrangement.
The Government has also not yet set out a detailed counter-proposal for the legally operative ‘backstop’ option, which the Secretary of State has now said would apply to the UK. The Report says that any backstop must be acceptable to all sides and calls on the Government to set out its alternative as a matter of urgency, while making it clear it will be seeking a permanent solution.
Hilary Benn said:
“It is clear that the EU is expecting clarification from ministers by the time of the European Council meeting in June about how the backstop will work.
The Government needs to come forward with its proposals as soon as possible to demonstrate how an open border, with no checks and no infrastructure, can be maintained.”
Commenting on the overall state of the negotiations, Hilary Benn added:
“Twenty-three months after the referendum and fourteen months since the triggering of Article 50, we still don’t know what the UK’s future relationship with the EU will be on trade, services, security, defence, consumer safety, data, broadcasting rights and many other things.
The clock is now running down and Parliament will need clarity and certainty by the time it is asked to vote on a draft withdrawal agreement in the autumn. We wait to see whether the promised white paper next month will provide it.”
Read the report conclusions: Report Conclusions
Read the full report: Full report
Source: Parliament News
I find more and lore that my old favourite record from the 80s, ‘London Calling’ by The Clash is the symbol of my life these days.
Never before in history has Customs been so in the center of attention, in media and on everbodies agendas as due to United Kingdom leaving the European Union.
There’s money in war, as sad as that is to say. There is also money in terrorism. A whole lot of money, in fact. The more money a terror organization has, the deadlier they are. Of course, they can’t just get a 9-to-5 job or throw up a Go Fund Me page to raise money. These organizations have limited means of fundraising. Those they do have are outside of the law and underground. Terror organizations resemble the Mafia in many ways. Both make money dealing drugs, selling weapons, selling tobacco, human trafficking, robbing banks, and kidnapping for ransom.
The following 10 terror organizations are the wealthiest and deadliest in the world.
#10. The IRA
Location: UK
Annual Income: $50 million
The Real IRA makes tens of millions each year through a global network that smuggles (and sells) tobacco and cigarettes. The tobacco smuggling industry is alive, well, and thriving.
#9. Lashar-e-Taiba
Location: Pakistan
Annual Income: $75 million
This terror group’s name translates to Army of the Righteous or Army of the Pure. They use charities operating under the group’s aid division to funnel millions to their bank accounts. They also rely on people living outside of their native country—mostly in the UK and Gulf States—for funding.
#8. Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Location: Palestine
Annual Income: $100 million
Founded in 1979 as a branch of the Egyptian Islamic Brotherhood, this group faced serious economic troubles just two years ago when its funding sources dried up and it ran out of money. The group has since rebounded.
#7. Kata’ib Hizballah
Location: Iran
Annual Income: $150 million
This organization is largely founded by an Patrian. A lawsuit filed by American veterans and the families of soldiers killed in Iraq against a number of European banks alleged that these banks funneled money from Tehran to the terror organization. These funds were then used to finance shootings and roadside bombings.
#6. PKK – Kurdistan Worker’s Party
Location: Turkey
Annual Income: $180. Million
The PKK has several sources of capital. The group relies on Kurdish people outside of Turkey for funding. The organization is considered a terror organization by some institutions but not by others.
#5. ISIS
Location: Iraq and Syria
Annual Income: $200 million
At its peak in late 2014, the Islamic State covered more than 386,000 square miles. However, with the fall of Rawa, the last urban stronghold of the group, they are scattered. It is just a matter of time before the group collapses.
#4. Al Qaeda
Location: Afghanistan
Annual Income: $300 million
Al Qaeda is a network of terror groups made up of Islamic extremist, Salafist jihadists. Its most notorious leader was Osama Bin Laden.
#3. Hamas
Location: Gaza City
Annual Income: $700 million
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist group. The group’s decade long reign of terror in Gaza has made life intolerable for people who live there. The UN estimates that the Gaza Strip will be unlivable by 2020 if the escalating humanitarian crisis there continues.
#2. The Taliban
Location: Afghanistan
Annual Income: $800 million
The Taliban runs a financial system similar to ISIS. The more territory they seize and the more people under their control, the more resources and revenue streams they have. Today, the Taliban’s primary source of income comes from the production and distribution of opium and heroin. Another revenue stream is collecting ransom for hostages they’ve seized.
#1. Hizbollah
Location: Lebanon
Annual Income: $1.1 billion
Hizballah makes more than $800 million annually.
Source: David M.Luna
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