Don’t miss the very interesting interim report from the UK Parliament, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
I gave evidence to the Committee in a hearing as one of two invited Customs experts. The expert was Dutch Broker Hans Massens.
In the executive summary of the report the Committee writes:
“The Committee has also examined the availability of technical solutions or alternative arrangements for avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland.
The balance of evidence suggests that a technical and systems based approach to keeping the land border on the island of Ireland much as it is today, far from being a ‘unicorn’, is achievable within the Implementation Period anticipated by the Withdrawal Agreement.
The principal impediment is a lack of political trust and goodwill between the negotiating parties”.
Read this intersting report if you want to know more about Brexit, the backstop, the NI/ROI and alternatoöive arrangements.
You can read the report here: CommonsNIAC, Interimreport: The Northern Ireland backstop and the border
UK PM Theresa May and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker presented late tonight the new deal.
Two entirely new documents, a legally binding mechanism about the backstop (1), changes to the Political Statement and a Joint Statement (2). Even though the Witdrawal Agreement have not been changed.
Will this make the House of Commons approve the Withdrawal Agreement at the second Meaningful Vote tomorrow evening?
Today it is seventeen days to Brexit and one day to the second Meaningful Vote in the UK Parliament, House of Commons about the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement (WA).
It is time for the verdict. There will have to be an announcement worhon the following thirty-six hours from UK-EU about a modifed solution for the Irish backstop to change the result from the last vote. Otherwise it will be difficult for those who want an agreement to raise some hope.
If the WA is turned down again, there will be a vote about leaving on no-deal terms on Wednesday. Followed by a vote about asking the EU for a delay of article 50.
This is the week. What an important week for all of us.
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