So, officials from EU member states were briefed yesterday by the European Commission in Brussels on the Alternative Arrangements Commission report. The Commission stressed this was not an official UK report and was not endorsed by the UK govt
The Commission reminded officials that the EU and UK had agreed their own special strand on alternative arrangements in the Strasbourg Joint Statement and that work would get underway the moment the Withdrawal Agreement was ratified.
One official present said the report made for “interesting reading”. However, there were “problematic aspects”. The idea of Ireland & the UK forming a single food safety & animal health area was a “non-starter” as it would be carving Ireland out of the single market
Yes, the official said, Ireland and the UK have a carve out from Schengen, but that is because the Common Travel Area predated EU membership, and it dealt with people, not goods
Overall, the view was that the AAC suggestions were extremely cumbersome and complex, adding layers of extra borders through Special Economic Zones, as well as extra financial and bureaucratic obligations for cross border traders.
Boris Johnson has described the AAC ideas as “brilliant”.
Given that Johnson is expected to embrace the AAC ideas, this preliminary response is instructive as to the kind of reception he’ll get in Brussels and EU capitals if the ideas are formally co-opted.
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