LONDON: The Government has responded cautiously to the prospect of a new customs partnership arrangement proposed by the British prime minister as a way of avoiding a hard border.
Theresa May is understood to favour a scheme which would see the UK act as an external frontier for the European Union and collect tariffs and carry out other checks on imports.
However, the initiative has been described as “magical thinking” by officials in Brussels and could take many years to introduce, potentially derailing the Brexit timetable.
A Government spokesman said it was the position of Taoiseach Leo Varadkarthat the solution to the Border must be one that satisfies the UK and the EU.
While Ms May’s proposal had not been ruled out, the spokesman indicated such an arrangement would “take a long time to negotiate and prepare for implementation”.
“Any solution will have to deliver on the commitment to avoid a hard border and protect North/South co-operation, while simultaneously protecting the EU’s single market and customs union. It will also need to be spelled out in legal detail.
