EU customs arrangements could be kept after Brexit

A temporary customs union could be put in place to help prevent chaos at Britain's borders after leaving the EU. That's according to the Brexit Secretary who is set to ask Brussels for an interim period to allow a smooth transition.

The proposal is an attempt to avert a "cliff edge" when the UK officially leaves Europe in 2019 after negotiations end.

There are fears ports across the UK could be put under strain as they face a big increase in bureacracy for dealing with goods entering and leaving the country.

This latest suggestion by David Davis would avoid all of that and allow what he describes as the "freest and most frictionless" possible trade with the EU.

The actual negotiations on this particular issue are not scheduled to start for some time, but the UK government is setting out its aims to ensure the exit is smooth, orderly and successful.

As part of the plans the UK government has suggested it could manage a new customs border with administration streamlined. It has also suggested there could be a new customs partnership with the EU which would negate the need for a customs border at all.

But what does it mean for Northern Ireland's border with the Republic of Ireland?

The announcement is mostly regarding the UK's over all partnership with the EU after Brexit rather than the particular issues of Northern Ireland and the Republic. That difficulty will be dealt with in a position paper which is due to be released on Wednesday.

There has been some suggestion it will include proposals for a 'light touch' border where the movement of goods would be monitored through number plate recognition and CCTV

There will also be suggestions for a Schengen style agreement to ensure free movement of Irish citizens in and out of Britain.

But some of these proposals are already being dismissed with Sinn Fein saying a border monitored by technology would be nonsene and impossible to deliver.

• Brexit
• border
• customs