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[...] Speaking after two days of Brexit negotiations in Brussels that laid bare the gulf that remains on key divorce issues, David Davis said that “frank discussions” had been had with the European Commission on Ireland, while insisting that the question will only be solved once talks begin on a future EU-UK relationship.
His comments were a response to warnings from Brussels of the difficulties in avoiding a hard Irish border if Northern Ireland does not stay within the single market and customs union.
The European Commission on Wednesday circulated an update on negotiations, seen by the Financial Times, which concludes that the avoidance of “regulatory divergence” on the island of Ireland is “essential” to protect the peace process.
Mr Barnier indicated at Thursday’s press conference that, overall, no breakthroughs had been reached at this week’s talks, while saying that some further headway had been made on the issue of citizens’ rights.
On the Irish border, Mr Barnier said that both sides have to ensure a common interpretation of the consequences of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement and the Anglo-Irish common travel area.
“This should lead us to identify the technical and legal solution necessary [to avoid] a hard border,” Mr Barnier said. [...]
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