Checks on goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland would be carried out at British ports under fresh ideas to make the so-called backstop easier to agree.
The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said the EU and UK need to “de-dramatise” the backstop, which commits both to ensuring there is no hard Border even if Britain leaves the bloc without a deal.
The Irish Times understands that, under new ideas, customs and regulatory checks would be located in Britain rather than Northern Ireland.
Although scepticism still remains that such an approach could be acceptable to the UK, senior sources said agreement could be reached if there is “political will” in London.
“Can we find a way of operating the backstop that is less incendiary politically?” asked one. “You don’t want EU customs officers in Larne and Belfast. Could you do it somewhere else?”
It is also suggested that checks could be low-profile in nature and carried out by private contractors.
