Thread by @timd_IFG

Few thoughts on the #ERG proposals for the Irish border, an issue @awstojanovic and I wrote about back in June: instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/i…

The paper stresses that the ERG support the principle of no hard border, which will be welcome to all sides

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Also says that customs checks won't be a problem - which is true if the Govt can swing the Facilitated Customs Arrangement, which both the EU and the ERG have problems with...

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The paper points to an EU report, Smart Borders 2.0, as providing solutions to the customs questions. However, that report a) doesn't solve the problem and b) isn't an EU report (it was commissioned by the Parliament, it doesn't represent an EU proposal)

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The ERG also propose 'equivalence', or mutual recognition, on goods and agricultural standards, so that there is no need for regulatory checks at the border... the EU has never agreed that with a non-member

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The paper also proposes regulatory checks behind the border, which may be acceptable to the UK Government but less so for Ireland or for individual businesses, for whom it would represent a big new burden

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Overall, I think this is a serious engagement with the issue, but doesn't really advance any significant new proposals - it's unlikely to break the backstop impasse ahead of the October Council, which @jl_owen wrote about here:

instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/irish-bor…

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Also, geeks amongst us may be interested in this disclaimer - I wonder how many Govt ministers are also ERG-ers

(ends)