“In the last few days UK and EU negotiators have made real progress in a number of key areas. However, there remain a number of unresolved issues relating to the backstop,” according to a statement from the UK’s Department for Exiting the European Union.
The “backstop” refers to an agreement to protect an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Brexit negotiator, said that “despite intense efforts, some key issues are still open, including the backstop.”
The Bank of England has warned that house prices would crash, businesses fret over chaos at the Channel ports and airlines worry that the agreements that keep planes in the air across Europe would fall away.
But for a deal to be concluded, each side must find a way of avoiding the necessity to rebuild border posts between Northern Ireland, which will leave the EU with the rest of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, which will remain in the EU.
The removal of border infrastructure was a key part of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland after years of sectarian strife.
In an effort to avoid a “hard” Irish border, the EU had originally proposed that Northern Ireland remain closely tied to European regulations, including the customs union, after Britain leaves the bloc.
However, this proposal was rejected by the UK government. Theresa May has instead proposed that the whole of the UK remains inside the customs union, but on a short-term, temporary basis.
That proposal too has proved to be nonviable, with the EU appearing to reject the notion of a time-limit.
Last month, Barnier suggested that he was preparing to propose a new “backstop” proposal on the Irish border, attempting to “de-dramatize” discussions about what happens with Northern Ireland if Britain and the EU fail to reach an agreement on a future relationship.
The DUP — a right wing Northern Irish party determined to avoid reunification with the Republic — has said it will not accept any deal which results in the country being treated differently to the rest of the UK.
CNN’s Hadas Gold and James Griffiths contributed reporting.
Source : Nbcnewyork
