Britain's negotiating position on Customs Union

UK and EU are still to agree a Customs deal on how trade will operate after Brexit.

The Customs Union allows trade without tariffs for all countries in the EU.

It has been a major “sticking point” for the British Government in its negotiations with the EU.

Added to this the EU Withdrawal Bill returns to the House of Commons next week on the 12 June 2018, for MP’s to consider the House of Lords amendments. A three line Whip is expected to be enforced with limited discussion allowed,as time is of essence.

The Government of Theresa May however, after many twists and turns within the two Cabinet Committees she created, has finally agreed a “Backstop Option” if the need arises and if “No Deal” is the final outcome, causing a return of the previous hard border before the Good Friday Agreement between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Leader used the Prime Minister’s Question time in the House today to tear into the Government’s position as “a lack of plan.”

Discussions within the Cabinet Committees resulted in a variety of options put forward including making the Irish border a “buffer zone”. This was not agreed in the Cabinet.

But with mounting pressure to put forward a position before a summit of EU leaders on 28 June 2018, it has now been agreed in a Position Paper that a “Temporary Customs Backstop” lasting only one year would continue until December 2021.But as everyone knows “nothing is final until everything is final”.

Brexit Minister David Davis is visiting Brussels to iron out any difficulties, with his counterpart Mr Barnier, in the hope of averting a crisis. It is highly unlikely that the expected answers on UK’s Customs relationship with both the EU and Northern Ireland will find a resolution by the deadline set by the EU Summit end June 2018.

Prime Minister May has always said the UK will leave the Customs Union after Brexit.

The EU has proposed keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union. But this was rejected by Theresa May as well as by the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland which holds the deciding hand in Theresa May’s minority Government.

The need for border checks is a maze within a maze. But nobody doubts Britain will amaze the world in tight negotiations.

Victor Cherubim