Brexit and customs: 'More clarity, but still a yawning gap'
Economist Paul McFlynn looks at Britain's proposals to exit the EU customs union while avoiding a cliff-edge Brexit
What did Britain publish yesterday?
Two months on from the commencement of Brexit negotiations in June, the British government has finally begun to outline its intentions on the key issues. This means we now have some clarity onhow Britain intends to interact with the EU Customs Union in March 2019 and beyond.
Why does this matter for us in Ireland?
The final agreement on the customs union will have profound implications for Ireland, North and South,particularly with regard to the border. If Britain leaves the EU customs uUnion, the circumstances under which a border can be avoided become extremely limited. This is because a customs union is specifically designed to remove trade borders between members and to erect them between members and non-members.
