In my opinion NI wasn't brought up as it isn't an issue, it's a given that we would have borders with the EU. And it is also a given that the EU dictates that the external perimeter is a hard border.
Naturally if the EU allows it, it would be our choice to 'relax' the border just as it was pre-EU through bilateral agreements with varying neighbouring countries. It is only an issue in my opinion because people choose to make it an issue.
I'm confident that is what our agreement with Ireland would want to continue. Whether the EU allows Ireland to continue that is a whole different matter and not really our choice.
Barnier has played the UK like a fiddle. Whatever he demands he gets. Our "negotiators" are as spineless and incompetent as it's possible to imagine. Hardly surprising given that we haven't had to negotiate any trade deals for decades.
We'll end up in the customs union forever, and most likely in the single market too (even if it's called something else). We'll have given up our place at the European decision making table to become rule takers. Hardly befitting the 5th largest economy in the world. Pathetic, subservient, emasculated, and humiliated.
Who will benefit from any of this? Theresa May? Anyone else?
It's literally nothing to do with the EU if we continue the common travel area.
Which the uk and ireland have committed to do.
Not saying you did mate,,
But it's either a NI or Eire problem
I just posted a remark from a high up German official which would suggest it is not a NI issue and while his rhetoric might be ridiculous ( i have no idea of the Ukraine border) his comment would suggest the EU would insist on a hard border..
I think May is the fiddler,,,the last 2 years have all been a smoke screen of the political elites as they attempt to overturn the referendum as much as they fear they can get away with...
If they can get away with it remains to be seen.
The usual suspects
Apologies, you’ve made a valid point as Ireland is also outside Schengen isn’t it. As such this should be a lot easier to be maintained.
I know it's your opinion that the border issue can easily be resolved, but when is someone going to provide a working example of a frictionless border that can be rolled out in Ireland before March next year.
Saying it can be done is one thing, and even forgetting about the huge cost implications, let's see the working evidence.
Well one example is what is happening today, there is actually a border today data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 You'd agree it is pretty frictionless today isn't it....
I do agree with you on one thing, they need to get a move on and define it. Part of the problem is people keep on thwarting those intentions. The leadership is too weak to make this happen, so unfortunately I'm afraid it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy and not as frictionless as it could have been due to the continual resistance...
As things stand it's frictionless, but today we don't have any checks on the movement of goods and people between north and south.
How is this the same as a post Brexit border where checks and increased costs are unavoidable?
After March 2019, what system will ensure that people and goods move freely with no noticeable change to what we have today?