Here’s why the EU is adamant about an external border in #Ireland and why it’s not important to the UK

The EU is responsible for external border controls. Ireland no longer has “sovereign” control over its borders, so Dublin is being told by Brussels how to handle the NI border

What is important to remember here is that if the UK does leave the EU’s Single Market and the Customs Union without an FTA, Ireland’s Revenue (Irish customs authority) immediately becomes responsible for enforcing duties upon any imports from the UK (NI) into Ireland.

As such, Revenue must prove to Brussels that they have a process in place to ensure that all goods imported from a third country (the UK) are being taxed according to the EU’s tariffs

Note: Ireland has no say in whether or not to enforce these duties, they are required to do so

Meanwhile in the UK, the UK Government are free to declare whether to impose additional tariffs on imported goods from Ireland

HMRC & UK Border Force will only be required to “police” the border if Govt declares a requirement to collect tariffs on imported goods

What does this mean in practice?

The UK’s ports & airports in Northern Ireland already act as a “border” to the EU. Those borders will remain as they are the UK’s external border, so Border Force officers are already checking goods landing at our ports. There’s no change there.

What does change however is that Northern Ireland no longer acts as an external border for the EU. Thus, Ireland’s Revenue is now solely responsible for all ensuring that all imported goods across Ireland are monitored in line with the EU’s Common External Tariffs.

So Dublin has an issue on its hands - it is now the only EU authority on the island of Ireland with sole responsibility for border enforcement and customs authority for the EU.

This role was previously shared with the UK, which helped to keep enforcement costs down.

Post- #Brexit, the UK would be free to declare no border controls in Northern Ireland, as it can effectively rely on all customs operations already in place. Those in NI and those operated by Ireland’s Revenue. To the UK Govt, it’s a “cost-neutral” customs operation.

However to Dublin, there is a new cost incurred - the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is 310 miles long.

That’s 310 miles of “new” Customs controls which Dublin has never had to pay for, and is now solely responsible for controlling.

Dublin does not want that cost.

What Dublin is reluctant to admit here is that the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland would be their obligation to patrol under their EU membership. The EU does not want be seen as “forcing” Ireland to enforce this border, but it is - behind the scenes.

Only Brussels has declared a “requirement” for a border, because Dublin no longer has any say in the matter. Varadkar is reluctant to tell his country that they would be forced by Brussels to incur a cost (and higher taxes to pay for it) to patrol the border with Northern Ireland

In terms of controlling illegal immigration, illegal immigrants must first reach Ireland (the South) and bypass Ireland’s customs and immigration controls at ports and airports, before making their way up to the NI border.

This is such a low risk, the UK Govt may just accept it.

But again, in terms of Ireland - they now become responsible for policing 310miles of the NI border for illegal immigration into the EU.

That in itself is another cost (and another hike in Irish taxes) that Varadkar has yet to tell the citizens of Ireland about.

This is why Varadkar is outspoken about the #Brexit situation in Ireland.

If the UK leaves the EU without a free trade agreement, Dublin is immediately responsible for all customs and immigration enforcement (on behalf of the EU) across the NI border, and that breaks the GFA.

Ireland’s hands are tied - there *must* be a border according to the EU.

Ireland are responsible for that border, according to the terms of EU membership.

Thus Ireland becomes the country responsible for breaking the Good Friday Agreement, and Dublin has no say in the matter.

The UK Govt has no requirement or obligation to enforce an immigration border with Ireland. The UK may wish to allow continuation of the Common Travel Area.

Ireland however has a problem with continuing the CTA, as it allows non-EU citizens visa-free entry into Ireland (the EU)

So to continue the CTA, Dublin must obtain permission from Brussels. That permission is not guaranteed and Dublin may be forced to rescind their side of the CTA upon instruction from Brussels.

Again, the EU can tell Ireland who it can or cannot let into its botdere.

*borders

And in an ironic moment of fate, guess what story the Express ran with today?

The EU are giving an ultimatum for Ireland to impose a border with the UK. Yes folks, the EU is telling a “sovereign” government to break the Good Friday Agreement https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1082829/Brexit-news-UK-EU-Ireland-border-backstop-Leo-Varadkar-Theresa-May