-
Committee does not see how it will be possible to
reconcile there being no border between Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland with the Government’s policy of leaving
the Single Market and the Customs Union
-
· Government
urged to publish a white paper on the proposed implementation
period as soon as possible after December’s European Council and
to set out specific proposals on the UK’s future ‘deep and
special’ relationship with the EU
- · Deal
on citizens’ rights should be ‘ring-fenced’
In the run-up to the European Council meeting in December, the
Committee on Exiting the European Union today publishes a report
on the current state of the negotiations. At next month’s
meeting, the EU27 will consider whether sufficient progress has
been made to allow talks to progress to phase two negotiations on
the future relationship.
The Report calls on the Government to set out in detail how it
plans to meet its objective of avoiding the imposition of a
border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,
including if no withdrawal agreement is reached by 29 March
2019.
Committee Chair MP said:
“Our Report concludes that we cannot at present see how
leaving the customs union and the single market can be reconciled
with there being no border or infrastructure. Even by their own
admission, the Government’s proposals are untested and
speculative, so it has yet to set out how no border can in
practice be maintained with the UK outside the Single Market and
the Customs Union.”
The Committee is also calling on the Government to publish a
white paper on the implementation period as soon as possible
after the European Council in December. The Committee heard how
an implementation period is only valuable if it is agreed sooner
rather than later. Left too late and the certainty available to
business and stakeholders diminishes.
The white paper should provide detail on the UK’s participation
in the single market, the customs union, how free movement will
operate, the jurisdiction of the CJEU, UK membership of EU
agencies and security, defence and foreign policy co-operation.
The Government also needs to turn its general statements about a
‘comprehensive and ambitious’ or ‘deep and special’ future EU-UK
relationship into much more specific proposals.
said:
“We hope that the December Council will conclude that
sufficient progress has been made so that the talks can move on
to our future relationship. Businesses need certainty and
reassurance to stop firms triggering contingency plans which
could see activities and jobs move abroad. Ministers assured us
that detailed arrangements for the implementation period could be
published by March 2018. This deadline must be achieved.
“The Government should also set out its vision for the UK’s
future trade relationship with the EU. If phase two of the talks
do start next month, then ministers need to move beyond words
like ‘bespoke’ and ‘special’ and actually explain what it is they
are seeking.”
Brexit will have a very real impact on millions of citizens
living in the UK and across the EU. Any agreement reached on
their rights should be ring-fenced and preserved in the event of
failing to reach an overall agreement. If the EU negotiating team
reject such a request, the UK Government should make a
declaration that it will unilaterally provide a guarantee on EU
citizens' rights in the UK (also agreed by our predecessor
Committee). We would expect the EU to issue a similar guarantee
to UK citizens living in EU countries.
The Committee’s report calls for the Government to give
Parliament a vote as soon as possible after any deal is agreed as
it would not be acceptable to present a motion to the House after
the UK has left the EU.
On 27 November, the Committee received an edited version of the
sectoral analyses from the Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union. The Committee is now considering them and will
respond separately.
MP, commented:
“As it stands, any deal will need to be voted on by the UK
Parliament and the European Parliament before the end of March
2019 unless the date of exit has been postponed by unanimous
agreement of the 27 Member States under the terms of Article 50.
If the European Parliament has not approved the agreement and the
negotiating period has not been extended, then the UK would leave
the EU without a deal. This would not be acceptable. Parliament’
must have the right to express its view in good time.”
“This week the Department for Exiting the EU delivered edited
sectoral analyses to the Committee in response to the Humble
Address agreed by the House of Commons on 1 November. The
Secretary of State will appear in front of the Committee next
Wednesday to be questioned on this.”
