Varadkar backs EU demand that UK detail border plans

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has welcomed the EU’s demand that Britain come up with detailed post-Brexit solutions on the border.

After publishing the EU’s first position paper, Europe’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said he was “worried” by the UK paper on Ireland and the North.

“The UK wants to use Ireland as a kind of test case for the future EU/UK customs relations. This will not happen,” he said.

Mr Varadkar welcomed both the report and Mr Barnier’s comments, but said he would not be giving a “running commentary” on negotiations as they change on a daily basis.

“We’re very happy with the paper produced by the European Commission today, the Government had a big hand and big part in writing that paper, and that paper very much shows the EU27, the other member states, are very much behind us when it comes to our national interests,” he said.

“In seeking to preserve the common travel area between Britain and Ireland and the effective common citizenship that exists between the two countries, the gains from the peace process and also avoiding any barriers to trade on this island. Negotiations will continue and of course political contacts will continue as well across the European Union and we’ll make a decision in October as to whether we can move on to the next stage of talks.”

Fianna Fáil Brexit spokesman Stephen Donnelly said the EU document was “encouraging” as it shows the commission clearly recognises the scale of the challenge facing Ireland and Northern Ireland post-Brexit.

“Much of the commentary to date has specifically focused on the customs challenge, but the EU Commission has clearly set out that the negotiations must also take into account the specific political, economic, security, societal, and agricultural issues facing Ireland and Northern Ireland,” he said.

A spokesman for the British government said it welcomed the position paper, in particular, the commitment to avoid any physical infrastructure at the border.

“We were clear on our position paper that the nature of the border means that an agreed, reciprocal solution must be found.

“Unilateral UK flexibility will not be sufficient to meet our shared objectives, which is why we welcome the commission’s continued recognition of the need for flexible and imaginative solutions.”

The spokesman said both the UK and EU position papers provide a “good basis” on which to continue with negotiations.