UK MPs say no evidence of move to frictionless NIreland border

The UK government was under further pressure on Friday over Northern Ireland as a cross-party group of MPs said it saw no real chance of a frictionless border with the Republic of Ireland after Brexit.

The Northern Ireland Affairs committee said it was was unable to identify “any border solution currently in operation across the globe that would enable physical infrastructure to be avoided when rules and tariffs diverge”.

It also rejected any proposals for customs checks “which would result in a customs border down the Irish Sea”.

“This would create a costly barrier to trade with Northern Ireland’s largest market and would be incompatible with the spirit and intent of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement,” the committee said, adding that “additional infrastructure at the border would not only be politically objectional but ineffective and unworkable”.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has been adamant that there would be no need for a hard border with physical customs checks. Critics have said that a reintroduction of border posts could threaten the Good Friday peace agreement.

Committee chair Andrew Murrison said it was “now clear that a significant transition period is essential” for options to be worked through.

“It is equally clear that regulatory and tariff alignment will be required during transition to avoid any hardening of the border before a definitive low-friction solution can be determined."

British officials were set to meet with their EU counterparts for three days of talks on the issue starting tomorrow.

EU officials were reported to have said Britain would have to reconsider the possibility of the Northern Ireland provinces staying in the customs union and single market.

They yesterday agreed that May should soften her stance on the hard border terms were to be agreed on the transition period after Britain left the EU next March and move on to trade talks at a European council summit next week.