brexit backstop explained
It is not clear what will happen next but these events confirm that what is true for the Brexit negotiations will prove true for any potential talks on exiting the backstop – political, and not legal remedies, are the only ones that will allow the UK and the EU to create a new relationship. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is committed to "getting rid" of the backstop, describing it as "anti-democratic". This would keep commitments of the Goo… One of the major Brexit issues MPs are as yet unable to agree on is the ‘backstop’. Save ... the then-prime minister's point man on Brexit, that the backstop was intended as a … Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images The Prime Minister is in Brussels hoping to get further reassurances from the EU on the key issue of the Northern Ireland ‘backstop’. That would mean Northern Ireland continuing to follow EU rules on animal health, food safety and manufactured goods. However, many commentators question the practicality of the UK and EU concluding a future relations agreement by this time. The resolution of such a stalemate would have to be political. An anti-Brexit sign close to the border near Teemore, Northern Ireland. What's in the Brexit deal? Here we look at what the backstop is, if it’s likely to be used, and if the UK can then exit from it. However, as the UK and the EU agreed in the December 2017 ‘Joint Report,’ the UK could still try and come up with other solutions that would ensure checks are not needed at the border. These include things like trusted traders schemes and using GPS to track lorries. Transition period. “We would like our UK friends to set out their expectations for us because this debate is sometimes nebulous and The Attorney General’s (AG) recently published legal opinion states that it would be “highly unlikely” the EU would act in a manner that would clearly demonstrate bad faith. A row between London and the European Union over the "Irish backstop" is blocking a Brexit deal and could mean Britain leaving on March 29 without one, disrupting trade. All rights reserved. That is because the UK and Ireland are part of the EU's single market and customs union, so products do not need to be inspected for customs or standards. It would mean that if there were no workable agreement on such matters, Northern Ireland would stay in the customs union and much of the single market, guaranteeing a friction-free border with the Republic. New York cinemas reopen but will people come? However, many of the Agreement’s opponents want the backstop removed completely, or at least amended to allow the UK to exit it unilaterally. One of the major Brexit issues MPs are as yet unable to agree on is the ‘backstop’. This is, in effect, what the backstop was designed to be, an insurance mechanism, that would come into play and provide a temporary bridge until a future relationship can be negotiated. Article 185 of the Withdrawal Agreement states that the Protocol “shall apply as from the end of the transition period” (i.e. VideoCelebrating the world's largest female afro. The hard Brexit lobby has also pushed for a time limit on the backstop. Trade experts tend to agree that the only known existing option that would guarantee avoiding a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is for the UK to remain in the Single Market and be in the or a customs union with the EU. On customs, the UK has said Northern Ireland must leave the EU customs union. Boris Johnson’s alternative to the backstop explained. However, Article 132 of the Agreement allows the UK to request (before 1 July 2020) a one-off extension to the transition period which will be considered by the EU-UK Joint Committee. Freedom to work and live between the UK and the EU also comes to an end, and in 2021, UK nationals will need a visa if they … Other political parties in Northern Ireland (Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance and the Greens), welcome the backstop, seeing it as a necessary insurance policy that protects the Good Friday Agreement and prevents a hard border with Ireland. It would also see Northern Ireland staying even more closely tied to some rules of the EU single market. Backstop explained: what is the Irish border Brexit deal and how will the EU react to Boris Johnson’s plans? What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? 'Liberating' to be able to speak - Meghan1, Pope in Iraq: End violence and extremism2, 'Hovering ship' photographed off Cornish coast3, Silverman apologises to Hilton for prison jokes4, UN 'yet to see proof' Princess Latifa is alive5, China to tighten grip on Hong Kong elections6, World's 'oldest wild bird' has chick at age of 707, Tsunami alert lifted after quakes rock New Zealand8, Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?9, Australia asks for review of Italy's vaccine block10. The provision was designed to prevent the reintroduction of border controls between Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., and the Republic of Ireland, a member of the EU. Why an Irish backstop is so important Billboards with anti-Brexit slogans next to the road outside Newry, Northern Ireland, near the border with Ireland. Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 16:09 Updated: Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 16:28 This week the Government delayed a vote in the House of Commons on the Withdrawal Agreement and the Framework for the UK and EU’s future relationship. Article 2 of the Protocol reiterates the commitment made elsewhere in the Withdrawal Agreement that both sides “shall use their best endeavours” to conclude an agreement that supersedes the backstop before the end of the transition period. Subscribe to receive email alerts every time we publish new research about the topics you’re interested in. Some of these solutions might be technological, based perhaps on the ‘Maximum Facilitation’ or ‘Max Fac’ option the Government put forward in its Position Paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland in August 2017. The Irish border is at the heart of Brexit negotiations, as the UK and EU attempt to bash out a deal Credit: Getty Images - Getty What is the Irish backstop? In addition, Northern Ireland only will be subject to EU regulations in areas such as VAT, agriculture, the environment, electricity markets and the EU’s Customs Code. Brexit backstop explained: Why is the Irish border so important? Al Jazeera explains the parlance surrounding the UK’s bid to depart from the European Union. 2. This option (‘Norway plus’) has been ruled out repeatedly by the Government as it says it would not respect the referendum result, and it is not clear if Parliament would support it. China rebounds with economic growth target above 6%, Pope lands in Iraq amid virus and security risks, How a nine-year-old fought an oil company and won, The sea intruder causing havoc in Tasmania. Here we look at what the backstop is, if it’s likely to be used, and if the UK can then exit from it. The Northern Irish backstop is an agreement about what the UK and the European Union (EU) might do to manage the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland once Brexit has happened. 1 Shares. But after Brexit, all that could change - the two parts of Ireland could be in different customs and regulatory regimes, which could mean products being checked at the border. And even if they did, it is not clear how much weight the UK or the EU might give to such a decision. The Prime Minister is hoping to get further reassurances from the EU on this issue, to improve the chances of MP’s approving her ‘deal’. After the DUP's objections, Mrs May agreed a backstop involving the whole of the UK retaining a very close relationship with the EU - staying in the customs union - for an indefinite period. Premier Li Keqiang warns the world not to interfere, as he addresses China's largest political meeting. There's a lot of talk about the Brexit backstop. There are several options: It would involve Northern Ireland alone remaining in the EU's single market and customs union, leaving Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) free to strike trade deals. The backstop is a guarantee that whatever happens during the negotiations between the EU and UK on the future relationship, the open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland will be maintained, and the Good Friday Agreement respected. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a fresh push to drop the so-called Irish backstop from the Brexit deal, renewing a demand the EU has repeatedly rejected. Get in touch. EXPLAINED: What is in the new Brexit deal and how does it solve the Northern Irish border and backstop issues? By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor. But the subject has left many voters scratching their heads, with “What is Brexit backstop” one of the most common searches on Google about Brexit. There is one further avenue – the party wishing to end the backstop can ask the independent arbitration panel established by the Agreement to review the Joint Committee’s decision. Many experts are sceptical about the extent to which technology is the ‘answer’ to the border problem. Britain's exit from the European Union. These fears have grown to such an extent that the Prime Minister has now announced she will return to re-negotiate with the EU to obtain further reassurances that the backstop will not be needed. Unionist parties like the DUP and UUP reject the backstop, saying separate arrangements for Northern Ireland threaten the Union with Great Britain. The 'backstop' is an insurance clause in the UK's 585-page Brexit deal with Brussels, which was signed by Theresa May in November 2018. The backstop plan was agreed by UK-EU negotiators and formed part of Theresa May's withdrawal agreement in November 2018 (often referred to as the Brexit "divorce deal"). Celebrating the world's largest female afro. The Border is a sticking point in Brexit negotiations, but why? It said it would see Northern Ireland treated differently and could threaten the union. The Joint Committee must consider this request within six months. This is where the controversial "backstop" comes in. The backstop; The 2016 referendum; Brexit Explained; Theresa May; Brexit and UK politics; Brexit: Europe’s view; Back Category Archives: The backstop What’s the Irish backstop? © 2021 BBC. The sea intruder causing havoc in Tasmania. We’ve heard a lot about the Irish backstop in debates about Brexit. So how might it it work? The EU and the UK have made clear that their preferred outcome is for the future relationship to solve the Irish border problem, and for the backstop to never be used. These arrangements would apply unless and until both the EU and UK agree they are no longer necessary. His government has instead proposed the idea of a "single regulatory zone" on the island of Ireland. Here we look at what the backstop is, if it’s likely to be used, and if the UK can then exit from it. It sparked a backlash from many Conservative MPs (and the DUP) at Westminster and several of her own ministers resigned in protest. But the DUP - a Northern Ireland unionist party that propped up Theresa May's minority Conservative government - objected to this. (REUTERS) world news Brexit deal explained: What is the Irish backstop? He also argues that the EU may face legal challenges if the backstop continues, as Article 50 does not provide for a permanent future relationship.