EU's Hogan warns of hard Irish border if UK leaves customs union

Thrugelmir

Seems as if the Irish are concerned.

A British departure from the European Union's customs union would result in the return of a "hard border" on the island of Ireland, the country's European Union Commissioner, farm chief Phil Hogan, said on Thursday.

In an unusually frank criticism of Britain's negotiating position, Hogan said London was alone in driving a hard border in what he described as a "utopia" that existed only in the pages of the governing Conservative party's election manifesto.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who called a snap election for June 8, has said that while Britain cannot remain a full member of the customs union, she wants an arrangement with the EU which allows trade to be "as frictionless as possible".

The border between the Irish Republic, an EU member, and the British province of Northern Ireland would be the only land frontier between the United Kingdom and the EU once Britain leaves the bloc in early 2019.

"Let me be crystal clear – no one in Brussels wants a hard border. Certainly no one in Ireland wants a hard border. So far, London is the only place driving a hard border. Allow me to be even clearer – if London insists on leaving the customs union, this will be the road to a hard border," Hogan said in a speech in his native Kilkenny in the southeast of Ireland.

"We must do everything in our power to walk our British friends back from the cliff face of a hard Brexit and a hard border. Remaining in the customs union would avert this 'Made in Britain' disaster from occurring."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-ireland-idUKKBN18S5TX

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Crikey.

It's almost as if the Leave Campaign were lying through their teeth when they promised no hard border in Ireland.

BobQ

Its self evident that leaving the customs union and taking control of your borders will require a hard border.

Sad for those who have relatives on the other side or need to cross the border to work, but they must accept the inconvenience if we are to control borders.

The Brexit supporters told us that in the future there would be millions of Romanians and Turks sneaking over the border. Some technological controls will help police the cross border movements but most of those crossing will need to be checked more thoroughly than at present.

That is what people voted for wasn't it?

daveyjp

David Davies has just said so on QT. "Get back control" and "borders" were voted for almost 12 months ago.

Pity Dimbleby didn't quickly ask "did that include Ireland?"

silverwhistle

BobQ wrote: »

Some technological controls will help police the cross border movements

Identity cards, you mean?

When I lived in Italy they had a hard time accepting that we didn't have them, and that is a general attitude in Europe. They feel we're making things difficult for ourselves. In a way introducing them may be an inevitable corollary of Brexit and reducing immigration.

But don't blame me, guv...

DiggerUK

The fallacy of the UK actually leaving the european union, is a long way from a reality in most people's heads.
Catch 22, after catch 22, means that most issues can be kicked into the long grass forever.
The arguments about a negotiated or a hard exit, are two sides of the same straw man debate. Like it or lump it, nothing more than Sir Humphrey Appleby in charge here.

"You're all going to die......Europeans"..._

kabayiri

Ask how many people in England care. I doubt many would.

It's obvious why Hogan is concerned, and he speaks in pure self interest.

Filo25

kabayiri wrote: »

Ask how many people in England care. I doubt many would.

It's obvious why Hogan is concerned, and he speaks in pure self interest.

If we got a resumption of Republican terrorism off the back of a botched Brexit, including attacks on mainland UK, people might start caring.

Plus if you "just" further hit the NI economy, you just increase still further the subsidy that the rest of the UK ends up having to pay.

Mojisola

kabayiri wrote: »

Ask how many people in England care. I doubt many would.

If the border stays open, it's going to become an easy unofficial entry point into the UK. The people who voted leave aren't going to be happy about that.

kabayiri

Filo25 wrote: »

If we got a resumption of Republican terrorism off the back of a botched Brexit, including attacks on mainland UK, people might start caring.

Plus if you "just" further hit the NI economy, you just increase still further the subsidy that the rest of the UK ends up having to pay.

Brexit is all about self interest at the end of the day.

That's why we see big differences in voting patterns.

I'm not saying it's right not to care, I just don't think they do.

Filo25

kabayiri wrote: »

Brexit is all about self interest at the end of the day.

That's why we see big differences in voting patterns.

I'm not saying it's right not to care, I just don't think they do.

In which case I will fully agree with you!