It is frequently stated that the reason the UK has to sign up to the Backstop in the WA is because the UK is legally bound both through the Belfast Agreement & Dec 2017 EU/UK progress report to prevent any trade friction on the Island of Ireland.
First, lets deal with often quoted argument that the Good Friday Agreement explicitly prohibits any trade friction on the island of Ireland. Here is the Agreement.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…
There are, however, 10 uses of the word border in the document.
1 relates to “a new regional development strategy for NI…tackling the problems of a divided society and social cohesion in urban, rural and border areas…”
ec.europa.eu/taxation_custo…
irishtimes.com/news/ireland/i…
ec.europa.eu/info/business-…
ec.europa.eu/commission/sit…
What about trade? ZERO
What about trade friction? ZERO
Nope the document does not mention the word friction or discuss the idea of trade friction at all.
“The UK..commitment to the avoidance of a hard border, including any physical infrastructure or related checks and controls.”
“The UK remains committed to..its guarantee of avoiding a hard border.
data.parliament.uk/writtenevidenc…
…380gtk22pbxgw-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/upl…
There is nothing in GFA or WA requiring UK legally, technically or morally to not increase trade friction. Indeed, doing so is a function of Brexit clearly understood when the UK voted to leave the EU
euquestion.blogspot.com