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Laura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak
, 4 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
1. As expected, sounds like main concern at Cabinet meeting tonight was over putting a time limit on leaving the whole UK in the Customs Union, in the backstop agreement
2. Message was conveyed that EU in no mood to budge and wants to leave it open ended - I understand several Cabinet ministers, Fox, Hunt, Gove and Raab, expressed concern and there was vigorous discussion of that, altho no big strops
3. Ministers were not told explicitly tonight that No 10 is minded to accept the EU position of no time limit to get a deal, but sources suggest others WERE told that earlier today, so lots of nerves around - v hard to see how that would get thro Cabinet unscathed + Commons
4. And of course, none of that being officially confirmed, denied, or briefed! One of those evenings....
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More from @bbclaurak see all

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1. Open the notebook back up at the last page before Christmas in Westminster and it doesn't feel like there many new lines that need to be written
2. No 10 trying to eke out more reassurances on time line of backstop from EU, and find a way to make MPs feel they'll have more of a say
3. EU has no intention of major change to legal agreement that's been sweated over - nor do MPs show sign yet of swinging behind May's compromise deal in anything like the number it would take to give her a real shot at getting it thro next week
Read 6 tweets
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Meanwhile... Labour attempt to force vote on no confidence in PM pretty risk free for them - it isn't a way of actually forcing a vote that might collapse the govt, just embarrassing the PM and tying govt up in knots
Early indiciations are that ERG brexiteers would back the PM, but that could change - let's see what DUP decides
Ah... Sammy Wilson has just told us DUP won't back Labour if they manage to get their vote in the PM
Read 5 tweets
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A lot of echoes of morning after election when PM gave a speech that she could have given almost any day of the campaign - she said she had listened in that speech just there, but showed v little intent of changing v much at all
Of course her colleagues in govt relieved that she can try to carry on but it's a survival not success tonight - another big knock to the PM's credibility, and no solution at all to the gridlock in Parliament - she's survived, her brexit compromise can't in its current form
But the one uncertainty removed, she can't face another vote of confidence from her own party for a year - but that doesn't mean the govt can get through another period like this in Parliament
Read 5 tweets

Related threads

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1/ Another customs thread. This time on #customs formalities and #Backstop . Backstop envisages a #customsunion with simplifications. It mentions that a movement certificate, A.UK, will be required. No mention of customs declarations.
2/ Movement certificate demonstrates that goods are eligible for trade under a customs union. Is certified by e.g. a Chamber of Commerce. Declarations do more than that. They are entered into the national customs system and enable customs authorities to collect customs data.
3/ Much more info on a declaration than on a movement cert. Some of the most important fields include commodity code, value of goods, country of origin and customs procedure. Would imagine the UK would still like to collect this data for various reasons even under backstop.
Read 9 tweets
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On #customs formalities and documentation under various #Brexit scenarios. Procedures and documentation required for customs clearance can be confusing. Particularly, the difference between a single market and a customs union seems to be unclear. /1
Under different Brexit scenarios there will be different customs formalities and supporting documentation traders will need to complete/ provide for customs clearance (from an upcoming blogpost): /2
This is a simplified view - additional formalities are required depending on the type of goods (e.g. agricultural, excise) and other supporting documentation may be needed (e.g. licenses, certificates, value declaration, insurance docs, tariff quota docs etc). /3
Read 5 tweets
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Air boxing by top #UK officials is amazing. Who punching at? Unlike in London, #Brexit never been much fight in Brussels, more lament. When some urged penalty in financial settlement, EU ignored & just tabbed up #'s. Citizen rights a 2-way street. Other stuff mainly logistical..
Point again is not to take any side, but merely point out Brussels has had consistent principles, goals & negotiating positions from the start. London still has no consensus on final objective. No one I know in #EU has advocated for "no deal" but some in #UK actually do that...
Have had many many long conversations w/ top London colleagues. Am very conscious of all arguments & concerns on #UK side, incl over Northern Ireland. But even in no deal scenario, #UK will end up facing exact same choice on future relationship w/ EU as now, but w/o transition...
Read 4 tweets
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Let’s be very clear what Barnier’s new comments mean.

1) Chequers is still dead. There’s no chance of single market in goods without free movement of people

2) Customs partnership also still dead. EU focusing on tech solutions for border in Irish Sea, not on island of Ireland
That means we’re now switching to Irish Sea. How to reconcile May’s talk of no new economic barriers within UK and EU’s need to protect both its own economic integrity and the open border in Ireland? Provided EU gets both those assured, it can try to accommodate some UK anxieties
Although Barnier being coy, clincher is customs union. Namely, NI must retain same tariffs as Ireland. That means there must be some tariff collection between GB & NI, and NI must be exempt from UK’s new trade deals. Or whole UK stays in customs union. I don’t see any other way.
Read 4 tweets
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UK NI 'backstop' proposal problematic on many levels - a short thread.
1.
 ft.com/content/8834c2… via @financialtimes
According to the FT: “Under the proposal, if technology for a new customs arrangement is not ready by the end of the post-Brexit transition period in January 2021, the entire UK will continue to apply the EU’s common external tariff.” 2.
But NI wd need to stay aligned w EU regulations too - & either UK as a whole too (but EU unlikely to agree) or else accept a border in the Irish Sea. 3.
Read 7 tweets
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“Customs union” is a technical term, @bbcnickrobinson. “Customs arrangement” is not.

A customs union has the same external tariffs on imports from outside the group.

A customs arrangement can be any kind of arrangement involving customs. Could be anything.

Thread 1/7
What is a customs union?

The WTO’s simple definition wto.org/english/thewto…

2/7 GLOSSARY TERM — customs union —Members apply a common external tariff (e.g. the European Union)
Customs unions are defined in Par 8, Art24 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, on trade in goods)

wto.org/english/docs_e…

It applies “substantially the same duties and other regulations of commerce … to the trade of territories not included in the union”

3/7 Screenshot of GATT Article 24 (XXIV) paragraph 8
Read 7 tweets

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