The Withdrawal Agreement is not dead!
A team of experts looking at finding a solution to the question of the Irish backstop have been joined by a second group, this time of businesses and trade union representatives. The two teams will work together and with a selection of Parliamentarians from across both Houses to get the WA through Parliament.
The new groups will not be constituted until the ‘Meaningful Vote’ has been passed in Parliament, although they will meet in advance of that vote. The three groups will help inform the UK’s negotiations with the EU on developing alternative arrangements to the Northern Ireland backstop, set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, with the aim of replacing it by December 2020 so that it is never needed.
Members of the second group, known as the Business and Trade Union Alternative Arrangements Advisory Group, have been chosen to ensure their experience and on-the-ground knowledge informs developments and includes cross-sector representatives from Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. It will ensure the views of businesses and their employees are represented in this process.
The first team, known as the Technical Alternative Arrangements Advisory Group, was launched last week and comprises Steve Elliott, Michael Bell, Mike Thompson, Dominique Willems, Allie Renison, Hans Maessen, Declan Billington, Ruth Corkin, Pablo Muñiz, Dr David Smith, Tim Mairs (representing PSNI), Peter MacSwiney, Dr Katy Hayward, Dr Lorand Bartels, Dr Graham Gudgin.
Specifically, the group will have a remit to support the government on exploring approaches to reduce the risk associated with the movement of goods and for simplifying processes for businesses trading in goods. The government will also seek the input and views of the business advisory group and parliamentary engagement group to the proposals that are brought forward and will ensure they have the opportunity to contribute their views on how proposals might be developed.
In the first instance, the technical advisory group will consider work drawing on, but not limited to, facilitation and simplifications for businesses, advanced use of data and IT systems, transit, including looking at global precedents for transit schemes, cutting-edge technologies radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, app platforms, single windows, and machine learning and automatic intelligence. Co-chaired by Brexit Secretary, Steve Barclay, and Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jesse Norman the first meeting of the technical group was due to take place yesterday.
The new Business and Trade Union Alternative Arrangements Advisory Group will consider processes associated with the movement of goods across borders and options for simplifying them, such as trusted trader programmes and advanced use of data and IT systems.
The third group will consist of a parliamentary engagement group and will allow the government to consult with Members of Parliament from across both Houses. The government will discuss with parliamentarians how best to constitute this group. This will not affect the government’s ongoing engagement with the Exiting the EU Select Committee, the Treasury Select Committee and the EU Select Committee.
Robin Walker, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, said: “The development of alternative arrangements to replace the backstop has been recognised as a priority by both the UK Government and the EU Commission. Accordingly, we have a highly-informed group of experts in trade and customs focused on developing and testing workable solutions.
“But it is vital that any possible alternatives to the backstop are informed by the views of those on the ground, whose goods cross the border every single day. So I am delighted to chair this important group, which will ensure that the voices of business and trade union representatives are heard.”
Members of the business and trade union group have been chosen based on their comprehensive backgrounds in cross-border supply chains. The group includes large companies who can represent the views of themselves and their suppliers, as well as smaller companies who rely on cross-border “just in time” supply chains.
The UK and EU have a shared desire to replace the backstop with alternative arrangements to ensure there is no hard border — and both sides have committed to prioritising the development of these in the next phase of talks.
The government will look to engage with these groups on developing the UK’s understanding of alternative arrangements to inform negotiations with the EU and ensure that the UK’s input is informed by a broad and inclusive range of voices domestically.
Over the longer-term, the government will also consider how best these groups can contribute to its goal of ensuring that the UK is at the cutting edge of global customs policy, facilitating the greatest possible trade between the UK and the rest of the world. The government will make available £20m of funding, to support the development, testing, or piloting of ideas that emerge from these groups where the government believes it would be helpful.
All three groups will have a particular focus on how any arrangements take into account the UK’s commitments to protect respective legal orders and markets and avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. They will also take into account how arrangements can apply more broadly beyond the specific focus on how they would operate in the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland, to include how they could also help facilitate trade between the UK and EU.
Mrs May’s misnamed Withdrawal Agreement sets up a Joint Committee from Article 164 onwards to Article 174 to fulfil the Withdrawal Agreement in the transition period of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.
Clause 2 of Article 166 says that the decisions of this Joint Committee “will be binding” on the EU & UK. In other words this unelected Joint Committee will overrule the British government.
Clause 10 of Annex VIII says that the proceedings of this Joint Committee will be “confidential”, in other words they will be private and withheld from the British parliament and public.
Article 174 says that the Court of Justice of the European Union will resolve any disputes as to fulfilment of EU law on the Joint Committee. In other words all disputes between the EU and UK sides of the Joint Committee will be resolved by the CJEU as the Withdrawal Agreement is a legal agreement. So the so-called Joint Committee will really be an EU Committee with the UK side there as window dressing.
Then the EU side can propose extension of the Transition Period to the 31st December 2099, as provided for in the original 14th November 2018 version of the Withdrawal Agreement. Britain will be trapped in a Transition Period until the end of this century.
That is why Remainers want to save Mrs May’s misnamed Withdrawal Agreement.
The W/A in any shape or form, or derivation is unacceptable and it must be discarded.
Means of keeping the border open can just as easily be applied to a simple free trade deal with no strings attached.
Thank you Debbie.
A disgrace. Totally agree with other comments. Will any of those to be involved realise what useful idiots thy will be. How many of us can say the WA is a Surrender Agreement. The Backstop is a laughable addition to what is otherwise an insult to any sensible persons idea of Independence.
Particularly agree with Bill ‘a dangerous nonsense’ that will no doubt support the nodding heads.
More letters to MPs.
Let’s try and find out why the terror of “No Deal “….It’s this.
For 50 years our civil service our politicians, ourinstitutions and other aristocrats have sold to the world the benefits of being in the EU ,rather than the UK.. We have firms Like Honda, Nissan, Toyota in the car industry. and one or tewo others owned by EU funny money, who have been assured over and over by high ranking politicos and clever experts , That the ” UK will never leave”.
They have taken the money and perks and are terrified. People who have lost a couple of Billion will not be sympathetic.
From the point of view of us. ITS is funny and well deserved. Lobby money.. Loot Boxes or Surprise mech. if you like, and damage will be rectified in days..
BUT THEY DARE NOT LET IT BE REALISED.
Particularly Mrs May. Re Nissan/France.
It really is funny
Absolute nonsense………………..and very dangerous nonsense.
That dreadful WA, in any shape or form, must be abandoned and buried forever. It was written by the EU, for the EU, and benefits only, the EU.
It, nor any derivative of it, should ever see the light of day again.
If we cannot create a reasonable deal with the EU, then tell them just where they can put their dreadful deal.
I cannot imagine that any of our politicians have ever read this abomination but if they have, then still voted for it, they should be deselected, booted out and never ever again be allowed to ever be involved, at any level, in government if their lifetime !
I wonder how much these ‘experts’ will be paid to work on all this?
These ‘advisory groups’ have a tendency to just waffle endlessly and use meaningless jargon and soundbites to make themselves sound important.
If it’s just a case of finding ‘IT solutions to simplify cross-border trade’, then I would suggest getting the likes of Fedex and DHL involved, as their systems are already very advanced and make importing and exporting to countries outside of the EU very easy.
Unbelievable rubbish.
The self imposed nonsense of Trade deals
Trade deals are done between politicians and only benefit politicians and protectionists hoping to sneak in an advantage to be taken.
The EU is a Protectionist con.that uses taxation to benefit political/politic industral aims.
” The risks involved in the movement of goods ” ………….It fell off the back of a lorry.
“Technical Alternative Arrangements Advisory Group. “…………………You have to laugh.
” Business and Trade Union Alternative Arrangements Advisory Group”……..Dear God
” Parliamentary Engagement Group”………………….. No wonder there’s no money
CROSS BORDER TRADE
” Hello Alfonso , Bill here, I want a thousand thingummies please I’ll have a thousand . Put em in stock and send em one at a time ( JIT ) . I know Alfonso i’ll have to pay for the stocking and expensive transport one at a time, but its the Chairman.He’s been talking to experts again”.,,,,,
“What d’you mean IT? Just do the usual and ignore them, they don’t know what we do here anyway.. Same as I don’t know what they do !”
Really Debbie is this a joke or serious ? Where did they dig up this useless and costly bunch of idiots… Naaaaaaaaaaaaagh.
“hello Alfonso… Diane A….. here… We need 200.000. yes, I’m sure. JIT, yes .tomorrow. One at a time. Yes of course……What d’you mean By bicycle ?…… What dyou mean Customs ? just give em my name.”
Onions