Brexit breakthrough on border issue paves way for second-phase Talks
DUP leader welcomes "six substantive changes"
Last updated 8th Dec 2017
A dramatic breakthrough emerged early today in the Brexit border talks deadlock – enabling negotiations to move to an all-important second phase.
It followed all-night negotiations between the European Commission, the UK and Irish Governments and the DUP over the Irish border issue.
Prime Minister, Theresa May, flew to Brussels in the early hours.
Then, a short time later EC President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that sufficient progress had been made to proceed with crucial talks.
Among the guarantees in the deal was that there would be no ‘hard’ border.
DUP leader Arlene Foster said that while they still had some concerns with regard to alignment, she said “substantial positive progress has been made on improving the text of Monday's original draft paper.”
She said she had spoken to Mrs May a number of times throughout the night and outlined six changes.
These were:
Northern Ireland will leave the European Union along with the rest of the United Kingdom.
Northern Ireland will leave the single market and the customs union along with the rest of the United Kingdom.
There will be no customs or trade border down the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
Northern Ireland will not be separated constitutionally, politically, economically or regulatory from the rest of the United Kingdom and the joint UK-EU report at the conclusion of phase one makes clear that in all circumstances the United Kingdom will continue to ensure the same unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market.
There will be no so-called ‘special status’ for Northern Ireland as demanded by Sinn Fein.
The report makes it clear that the UK remains committed to preserving the integrity of its internal market and Northern Ireland's place within it, as it leaves the EU's internal market and customs union.
Mrs Foster added: “Upon receipt of the draft text on Monday, the Democratic Unionist Party indicated to the Prime Minister that we could not support it as a basis for moving forward.
“Since then we have intensely engaged with the Government right up until the early hours of this morning to secure changes to the document, mindful of the significant issues at stake for the future of Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom as a whole.
Throughout this process our guiding principle has been to act in the national interest to ensure the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom is not compromised as we leave the European Union. The Democratic Unionist Party has always been clear that the Union that matters most to Northern Ireland is that of the Union of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
However, Mrs Foster said there was still more work to be done, including areas of co-operation “where it would be necessary to have alignment of rules and standards."
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the deal as "a very significant day".
He says he is satisfied progress has been made.