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, 7 tweets, 2 min read
This is a significant critique from someone involved in the negotiations up until new PM...
Also - the idea of customs checks away from the border wasn’t even on the long list of facilitations/conclusions considered by the government’s official Alternative arrangements working groups over summer, or at least wasn’t in this document: politico.eu/wp-content/upl…
Reactions to apparent leak of UK “non-paper” from those trading across border mostly unprintable... but “costly, invasive unworkable” is one, others point out lorry from Scotland faces Irish Sea checks on food/animal standards, and then NI customs post and then an ROI post too..
Although UK Gov playing down the idea of a “string of customs” checking facilities. Irish Gov saying Article 50 task force has indicated the UK’s non-papers ”fall well short” of aims of backstop and hasn’t seen credible proposals or alternatives to it.
And Irish Foreign minister/ Deputy PM goes public on this:
Meanwhile in order to get through Parliament, Times has story that EU27 will be so enamoured with a deal that they go along with No 10 request to veto Parliament’s blocking of No Deal, by denying an extension, thus forcing Parliament to vote to agree deal
Though even in that story there are two ministers saying they cant get around the Benn Act and “law is the law”.

Lots of loose lips at the Conference coffee round... and an unhelpfully timed leak of an account of non papers.
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More from @faisalislam see all

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Faisal Islam
@faisalislam
So key differences in the Revised Political Declaration for the shape of the trade relationship - Left. New one, Right. Old one.

Goods trading relationship no longer “as close as possible” but “ambitious”... /1
...reference to no need for checks on “rules of origin” on GB-EU trade that PM May negotiated into the Political Declaration last year, is now gone, alongside backstop. Imp for cars/ manufacturing etc

This was one key reason May said Labour/ Corbyn should support her deal... /2
There is no longer the Point 25 reference to “consider aligning” to with EU rules “in relevant areas” for cooperation with aviation, medical and chemical agencies ... /3
Read 3 tweets
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Faisal Islam
@faisalislam
Been watching the Level Playing field commitments carefully - Told that they are gone from the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement/ treaty as were part of backstop - but they are still in the Political Declaration, as required for ambition of zero tariff Free Trade agreement...
For some if that does end up being the final position, even their presence in the political declaration will not be where they thought the PM was going to land a more divergent form of Brexit - eg close alignment “not the goal” from letter to Juncker this month...
But opens tariff free trade language that in turn helps with the Irish border compromise...

and in any event there are no longer these binding constraints on level playing field, detailed in Gov legal docs, that were part of the backstop... tax, environment, labour, competition
Read 9 tweets
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Faisal Islam
@faisalislam
So what is the rather important VAT issue as it applies to Brexit & Irish border?

Already a difference in the applied rates of VAT north and south -and yet there is no need for border checks...

But..that is underpinned by access to EU VAT IT system, protected in backstop: /1
So the Backstop Article 9/ Annexe 6 said the following aspects of EU VAT law would continue to apply to NI - in order to prevent need for VAT border checks - common system- scope, refunds, anti-fraud cooperation, exemptions, application to Norway/ Swiss: /2
The basic point is that this “solution” on VAT was in the backstop but was intended to be fleshed out in the transition period. As this negotiation promises to find final arrangements form NI - an operable legal treaty text needed now if backstop goes... /3
Read 7 tweets

Related threads

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Hilary Benn
@hilarybennmp
My question to the Prime Minister earlier on his Brexit proposals for Northern Ireland which run the risk of a return to a hard border.
The PM shakes his head at one point when I mention customs checks in Northern Ireland. This is what he told the BBC two days ago “there will have to be a system for customs checks away from the border.”
In the explanatory note on the Brexit proposals for Northern Ireland, it says that if the Assembly and Executive do not consent to the proposals for a zone of regulatory compliance then arrangements “will default to existing rules.” What existing rules?
Read 4 tweets
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Alberto Nardelli
@AlbertoNardelli
NEW: This Is What The EU Thinks Of Boris Johnson’s Brexit Proposals buzzfeed.com/albertonardell…
EU27 diplomats were briefed yesterday on the UK's Brexit proposals, and on the latest state of talks following a meeting between Barclay and Barnier - these are the main points:
The SPS document is "not detailed." It is a one-pager with an annex listing two sets of legislation, of EU rules that would apply to Northern Ireland after Brexit and a second list outlines EU legislation that wouldn’t apply, requiring checks to take place away from the border
Read 10 tweets
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Dr Anna Jerzewska
@AnnaJerzewska
UK freight forwarders/ brokers cannot recruit #customs specialists in sufficient numbers. The same way UK Gov cannot hire customs clerks, customs officials and the 500 border force officers Sajid Javid promised /1
First, as many incl @LeftPeggers pointed out, we don't have them in the UK (#customs is country specific, to a certain degree even within the EU, also not sure EU customs ppl would want to come work in the UK). /2
@LeftPeggers Second, customs is not something you can learn from a book as a lot of it requires direct experience. It's very different from other areas of tax where most rules are written down clearly (which still of course require direct experience)- customs rules are ambiguous at best /3
Read 5 tweets
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Dr Anna Jerzewska
@AnnaJerzewska
Important. French #customs announce a new smart border in Calais and Channel Tunnel in prep for #Briext.

What is it, what it definitely isn’t and what’s smart about it? /1

douane.gouv.fr/articles/a1617…
It’s a way to speed up the checks in case of #nodeal. On the way in and out of France (exports/imports). Similar to how transit procedure works currently /2
What it is?
1) Way to submit customs docs online before arriving at the border
2) Hopefully, a way to speed up border/customs checks
1) Different lanes for vehicles that need/don’t need checks

/3
Read 10 tweets
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Dr Anna Jerzewska
@AnnaJerzewska
Thread on #customs transit. Why it isn’t a #Brexit silver bullet and why proposals for NI border relying solely on transit would make it one of the most restrictive borders out there (even if we managed to get to no infrastructure). Might get long /1
Transit is an existing customs procedure. Allows to move customs formalities away from the border and only scan a barcode when passing the border. In some cases transit can start or end at company’s own premises. (Bit more on it here) /2

blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2019/02…
Common transit will be available after Brexit. UK will have access to NCTS system which is available to all parties of the Common Transit Convention /3

ec.europa.eu/taxation_custo…
Read 17 tweets
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Claudia Tristán
@tristan_claudia
Up until three weeks ago I was a #border/ #immigration reporter working in #ElPaso. Let me tell you why President Trump’s visit to the #Borderland is so problematic. Follow this thread for more.
Honestly, @DrToddACurry put it best. #ElPaso has been the President’s “petri dish” for #immigration policies. Let’s take a look shall we?
Starting Sept.2017 @LasAmericasIAC starts reporting parent/children separation, despite legal documents showing relation. There was little I, as a journalist, could do when both parent & child were out of reach for interview & @ICEgov wasn’t talking.
cbs4local.com/news/local/exp…
Read 23 tweets

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