A new Brexit agreement between the UK and EU has been reached, just before an European leaders meeting in Brussels. The deal follows a statement by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which argued, this morning, they won’t support the agreement.
This deal comes after hours of negotiations between UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Jean-Claude Juncker, who called it a “fair” outcome. Mr Johnson tweeted: “We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control – now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment”.
The new agreement is more or less the same as Theresa May’s one, but it differs on the main issue of the Brexit negotiations: Northern Ireland. Indeed, the controversial Irish backstop plan in Theresa May‘s proposal has been definitely set aside.
The new deal provides for a sort of double border between the UK and EU. Although the whole of the UK will leave the EU customs union, there will be a legal customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and another customs border between Great Britain and the island of Ireland.
This implies a complex system of taxes and refunds in the area: goods that arrive from the UK to Northern Ireland won’t get automatically taxed, but if a good is “at risk” of then being transported into the Republic of Ireland (EU), additional taxes must be paid.
In the latter case, if the good isn’t sent to the Republic of Ireland, taxes will be refunded. UK will be responsible to check refunds. All this situation is temporary and new decisions will be taken in two years, when the mechanism of this system will be more clear.
In the area, EU and UK officials will be jointly deployed, but it seems those EU officials may be able to overrule UK officials. “Where the Union representative requests the authorities of the United Kingdom to carry out control measures in individual cases for duly stated reasons, the authorities of the United Kingdom shall carry out those control measures“, a statement say.
Irish PM Leo Varadkar is positive of this new agreement and tweeted: “We have #Brexit Agreement that allows UK leave EU in orderly way. We have unique solution for NI that respects unique history and geography. Its good for Ireland and NI. No hard border. All-island and East-West economy can continue thrive. Protects Single Market & our place in it”.
On the other hand, as said before, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn are opposed to the deal, considering it ever worse than the previous May’s version. The new agreement will be voted on, in both the Northern Ireland Parliament and British Parliament on Saturday, and, then, we will be able to say whether Brexit is finally over.
#Peace.Love.Brexit
