In the first of a series of future partnership papers, the
Government will outline plans to secure new customs arrangements
with the EU that facilitate the freest and most frictionless
possible trade in goods between the UK and the EU.
Ministers will announce an intention to seek an ‘interim’
period with the EU of close association with the customs union
that would allow for a smooth and orderly transfer to the new
regime. One possible approach would be a temporary customs union
between the UK and the EU.
This time-limited period of implementation will provide
certainty for businesses in the UK and the EU and would ensure
that businesses only have to adjust once to a new customs
relationship, as the Prime Minister set out in her Lancaster
House speech in January.
During this interim period, which will be negotiated with
Brussels, Britain will look to negotiate bold new trade
relationships around the world.
Agreeing the interim period would:
-
Provide the necessary time for both the UK and EU
authorities and infrastructure providers to implement our
future customs arrangements and put in place facilitations
and technology-based solutions to make the customs regime as
smooth as possible for importers and exporters; and
-
Ensure that businesses, intermediaries and other third
parties in the UK and the EU have the necessary time to
implement the new arrangements, providing businesses with
certainty and enabling a smooth transition.
The paper makes clear the need to support the UK’s trade
with the EU and the rest of the world.
They must ensure that the UK can develop a trade policy
which enables us to build a stronger, fairer and more prosperous
UK, and one that is more outward-looking than ever before.
As we exit the EU, we must not only seek to secure our
existing markets, but also to tap into new, growing markets
across the globe.
As we leave the EU customs union, we will be guided by what
delivers the greatest economic advantage to the UK. Our goal is
to secure as frictionless trade as possible with the EU alongside
the ability to forge trade deals around the world, and avoiding a
hard border with Ireland.
We are proposing two different ways that would best meet
these goals achieve this:
-
A highly streamlined customs arrangement in which the
UK would manage a new customs border with the EU,
streamlining and simplifying requirements to the fullest
extent possible through negotiated and unilateral
facilitations which reduce and remove barriers to trade;
or
-
A new customs partnership with the EU, based on
alignment of our customs approaches, which would negate the
need for a customs border between the UK and the EU.
The Government intends to continue its dialogue on the UK’s
customs arrangements, and will be taking forward discussions on
these proposals with business and other interested parties over
the summer.
Private sector input, creativity and innovation can help
the Government achieve the most frictionless customs arrangement
anywhere in the world
The Government also recognises that people and businesses
in the UK and EU will benefit from time to implement fully the
new customs arrangements.
Tomorrow, the Government will also set out its solutions
for the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, ahead of the
third round of negotiations taking place in Brussels at the end
of the month.
The paper will make clear the commitment to
maintain a seamless and frictionless border with no return to the
hard borders of the past.
The series of future partnership papers due to be published
demonstrate the UK's desire to ensure our exit from the EU is
smooth, orderly and successful.
They reflect the huge body of work which has been
undertaken across Government since last summer, as well as our
significant programme of engagement with businesses across the
country. They will also inform further discussions with the full
range of interested parties over the coming weeks.
