09 December 2019

Financial Times: Boris Johnson’s vow to implement Brexit deal by December 2020 in doubt

Boris Johnson’s claim that Britain will make a clean break with the EU in December 2020 has been questioned by UK officials, who fear that a new customs arrangement for Northern Ireland may not be ready in time.

A Department for Exiting the EU document, extracts of which have been seen by the Financial Times, warns that implementing Mr Johnson’s Brexit deal, which would see Northern Ireland remain part of the EU customs code, presents a “major” challenge.

It also raises the possible “legal and political (domestic and EU) impact of not being able to deliver the protocol in Dec 2020” — a reference to the protocol covering Northern Ireland signed by Mr Johnson with the other 27 EU member states last October to secure an exit deal.

Arlene Foster, leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party, said HM Revenue & Customs officials had told her that there would be checks on trade moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Ms Foster said that would be “totally unacceptable”, telling the BBC: “You can’t leave part of the UK in a worse off position and have checks between different parts of the UK.” [...]

The Dexeu document, circulated last week to senior officials in Whitehall, says: “Delivery of the required infrastructure, associated systems, and staffing to implement the requirements of the protocol by December 2020 represents a major strategic, political and operational challenge.”

It adds that “delivery on the ground would need to commence before we know the outcome of negotiations”, a reference to the wider free trade agreement that Mr Johnson insists he can agree with the EU in the course of 2020. [...]

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