THE EUROPEAN UNION has delivered Boris Johnson a brutal list of reasons why his new Brexit proposals for the Irish border will be rejected by the bloc, leaked documents have shown.
Mr Johnson said today he had not heard from the EU yet about their thoughts on the legal text tabled by Downing Street. The draft text, which has not been published in full yet, says Northern Ireland would stay in the EU’s single market for goods and electricity if Stormont agrees, as well as giving the DUP a veto before the arrangement comes into force and then every four years . But the Prime Minister’s chief negotiator David Frost, has secretly been handed a report explaining “multiple faults” the EU has found with the proposals, according to the Guardian.
The leaked report reveals the UK has been warned that the proposed Stormont veto provides the DUP with an opportunity to block the all-Ireland regulatory zone from ever materializing.
The proposals for a customs border are also said to be at risk of a major disruption of the all-Ireland economy.
EU negotiators said it has been rejected by groups representing Northern Irish business.
The UK is looking for a fallback of no controls, checks and border infrastructure, even if the DUP vetoes Northern Ireland’s alignment with the single market.
The EU’s internal market would be left “wide open” for abuse, the European commission added in its rejection.
Boris Johnson has received a further blow from the EU over Brexit(Image: REUTERS)
The UK’s proposal leaves it up to a EU and UK committee to work out how to avoid customs checks and infrastructure near the Irish border once there are two customs territories and sets of rules on the island of Ireland.
But it does not offer an alternative p lans if no solution is agreed.
Britain has called for changes to the common transit convention to avoid the need for new infrastructure in the shape of transit offices on either side of the border for the scanning of goods that have passed through multiple territories.
But Brussels has refused as it would lead other non-EU countries to seek similar exemptions, endangering the internal market.
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The Prime Minister was informed over the phone about the EU’s feelings(Image: GETTY)
The text affords what is seen as an unacceptable wholesale exemption for small and medium-sized businesses from customs duties and processes, but it fails to provide details on how to then combat smuggling.
In terms of VAT, the British negotiators were told that the proposals fail to offer any solutions as to how to avoid payments and checks at the border.
Under the UK’s proposals all the state aid and level-playing-field conditions Theresa May agreed to in order to reassure the EU that Northern Ireland businesses would not enjoy a competitive advantage have been deleted.
But Northern Irish firms would still be able to compete in the single market
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The EU is set to make the decision this week(Image: EXPRESS)
The UK would have access to an unlisted number of EU databases to allow it to police the customs border on the island of Ireland and the regulatory border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Whitehall would still have access even if the DUP rejected alignment with the single market.
Mr Johnson is believed to have been passed on this message through a number of phones calls w ith EU leaders over the weekend.
Mr Frost is reportedly staying in Brussels tonight but the EU has not yet agreed to negotiate on the details.
Mr Johnson is still holding talks with EU leaders(Image: GETTY)
A UK Government spokesman said it had offered clarity on the proposals.
They said: “Following hours of discussions last week, the UK provided additional legal text today.
“This prov ided further technical detail on customs and goods regulations to further clarify how the UK’s proposals would operate. ”
An EU commission spokeswoman added it felt the UK had failed to offer an alternative to the Irish backstop.
This would prevent a hard border and keep Northern Ireland in the single market and the EU’s customs areas.
She said: “We all agree that we need a workable solution now and not something based on untried and revokable arrangements that would be left to negotiation during the transition period.
“The UK’s proposals do not meet at present the objectives of the protocol on Northern Ireland / Ireland and this is the shared view of the EU parliament but also all member states. ”
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