Europe in 2020

[Old Greg]

The border problem is created by the UK leaving the SM and CU, which facilitate the open border, to which the UK has committed in the GFA. It is for the UK to fix this or it is reneging on its international commitments. The EU negotiated the backstop in good faith but now Theresa May has voted against her own negotiated agreement. At the moment Ireland and the UK have a reasonably high risk strategy to leave the UK in a difficult position if it reneges on its commitments. It's high risk because the UK is not a rational negotiating partner at the moment, due to the political chaos in the UK.

If the UK does renege, then that does leave the UK and the Ireland in a conundrum, as to how to respond. No idea how this will turn out, but I do remember a senior Irish civil servant telling me, shortly after the referendum that it would end up with a hard border. The EU as a whole will not want a back door into the EU for substandard products imported into Belfast and put onto a lorry to Ireland. One possible outcome is that the next event is a border poll, and again, who would care to predict how that would turn out?

[GreenMirror]

the UK leaving the SM and CU, which facilitate the open border

There can be an open border without SM and CU.

I would like to think the UK would stand up to the EU nonsense. Sadly no-one in UK government has a spine anymore.

[Old Greg]

There can be an open border without SM and CU.

I would like to think the UK would stand up to the EU nonsense. Sadly no-one in UK government has a spine anymore.

The open border is facilitated by the SM and CU which facilitates trade without tariff and non-tariff barriers. The UK wants to get rid of EU red tape. Why would the EU allow raw milk across the border with no paperwork or checks from NI into an EU country when the UK has gone its own way on regulation?

[Cirrus]

There can be an open border without SM and CU.

You can keep singing that until the cows come home but the fact is you are either in the EU or not in the EU. Sooner or later you've got to come to terms with what you did when you went in that polling station. Not what the EU did. It's what you did.

[Old Greg]

You can keep singing that until the cows come home but the fact is you are either in the EU or not in the EU. Sooner or later you've got to come to terms with what you did when you went in that polling station. Not what the EU did. It's what you did.

Dear World

We are writing to advise that we are now open for business. We have recently freed ourselves from the shackles of the European Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and their associated free trade agreements. We would accordingly now like to enter into agreements with all like-minded countries. We are offering a 10% discount on your first order of jam, tea or biscuits.

Lots of love,

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

PS You may have heard that we just reneged on a treaty with our nearest neighbour, but don't let that put you off, as this was all somebody else's fault3. Those Perfidious Albion days are long behind us.

[meridian]

There can be an open border without SM and CU.

I would like to think the UK would stand up to the EU nonsense. Sadly no-one in UK government has a spine anymore.

Name one other country in the world that is not in "a" single market and customs union, that has an open border with it's neighbour.

[Old Greg]

Name one other country in the world that is not in "a" single market and customs union, that has an open border with it's neighbour.

There must be some failed state somewhere. South Sudan or Somalia?

[GreenMirror]

You can keep singing that until the cows come home but the fact is you are either in the EU or not in the EU. Sooner or later you've got to come to terms with what you did when you went in that polling station. Not what the EU did. It's what you did.

The UK will not be in the EU.

HTH

[GreenMirror]

The open border is facilitated by the SM and CU which facilitates trade without tariff and non-tariff barriers. The UK wants to get rid of EU red tape. Why would the EU allow raw milk across the border with no paperwork or checks from NI into an EU country when the UK has gone its own way on regulation?

Then just erect a border. Make the UK pay for it. Simples.

[GreenMirror]

Name one other country in the world that is not in "a" single market and customs union, that has an open border with it's neighbour.

Then put up a border. Simples.