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Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar say they 'see pathway' to Brexit deal Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar say they 'see pathway' to Brexit deal
(32 minutes later)
Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have agreed they can see a “pathway to a possible Brexit deal” but warned there were still challenges ahead if an agreement was to be struck at next week’s EU summit. Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have agreed they can see a “pathway to a possible Brexit deal”, while acknowledging there are still challenges ahead if an agreement is to be struck at next week’s EU summit.
The British prime minister hosted his Irish counterpart for a private meeting at a country house in Wirral in the north-west of England, describing the talks as a “detailed and constructive discussion”. The British prime minister hosted his Irish counterpart for a private meeting at a country house in Wirral in the north-west of England, with both describing the talks as a “detailed and constructive discussion”.
“Both continue to believe that a deal is in everybody’s interest. They agreed that they could see a pathway to a possible deal,” a statement said. A statement said: “Both continue to believe that a deal is in everybody’s interest. They agreed that they could see a pathway to a possible deal.
“Their discussion concentrated on the challenges of customs and consent. They also discussed the potential to strengthen bilateral relations, including on Northern Ireland.”“Their discussion concentrated on the challenges of customs and consent. They also discussed the potential to strengthen bilateral relations, including on Northern Ireland.”
Inside the EU, both Ireland and Northern Ireland are part of the single market and customs union so share the same regulations and standards, allowing a soft or invisible border between the two.Inside the EU, both Ireland and Northern Ireland are part of the single market and customs union so share the same regulations and standards, allowing a soft or invisible border between the two.
Britain’s exit from the EU – taking Northern Ireland with it – risks a return to a hard or policed border. The only way to avoid this post-Brexit is for regulations on both sides to remain more or less the same in key areas including food, animal welfare, medicines and product safety.Britain’s exit from the EU – taking Northern Ireland with it – risks a return to a hard or policed border. The only way to avoid this post-Brexit is for regulations on both sides to remain more or less the same in key areas including food, animal welfare, medicines and product safety.
The 'backstop' in Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement was intended to address this - stating that if no future trade agreement could be reached between the EU and the UK, then rules and regulations would stay as they are. This has been rejected by Brexit supporters as a 'trap' to keep the UK in the EU's customs union, which would prevent the UK striking its own independent trade deals. The 'backstop' in Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement was intended to address this - stating that if no future trade agreement could be reached between the EU and the UK, then rules and regulations would stay as they are. This has been rejected by Brexit supporters as a 'trap' to keep the UK in the EU's customs union, which would prevent the UK striking its own independent trade deals. 
There are an estimated 72m road vehicle crossings a year between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and about 14% of those crossings are consignments of goods, some of which may cross the border several times before they reach a consumer. Brexit supporters say this can be managed by doing checks on goods away from the border, but critics say it will be difficult to police this without any physical infrastructure like border posts of cameras, which could raise tensions in the divided communities of Ireland. There are an estimated 72m road vehicle crossings a year between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and about 14% of those crossings are consignments of goods, some of which may cross the border several times before they reach a consumer. Brexit supporters say this can be managed by doing checks on goods away from the border, but critics say it will be difficult to police this without any physical infrastructure like border posts of cameras, which could raise tensions in the divided communities of Ireland. 
Interactive: A typical hour in the life of the Irish borderInteractive: A typical hour in the life of the Irish border
There was no further detail on how the two sides could come to a compromise, but it will revive hopes for a deal at next week’s EU summit. Afterwards, Varadkar told reporters: “I think it is possible to come to an agreement to have a treaty agreed to allow the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion and to have that done by the end of October.”
The meeting, in a manor house half an hour from Liverpool, lasted more than three hours, with Johnson and Varadkar initially meeting alone before they were joined by officials. He added that it was “very positive and very promising I am now absolutely convinced that both Ireland and the UK want there to be an agreement that’s in the interests of Ireland and the UK, and the EU as a whole.”
Varadkar said he believed the outline of a deal would be possible in time for the crunch summit of EU leaders next Thursday, although “there was many a slip between cup and lip” and challenges remained ahead.
He added that he hoped the outcome of Thursday’s talks would be sufficient to allow negotiations to resume.
“I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks. There are, of course, issues yet to be fully resolved: the first is the issue of consent and democracy, ensuring that any long-term arrangement that applies to Northern Ireland has the consent of the people of Northern Ireland; the second is the whole issue of customs, ensuring that there is no customs border between the north and the south; and also we had a good discussion looking forward to how relationships might look after Brexit, how we can strengthen co-operation north and south economically and politically, and also between Britain and Ireland,” he said.
The meeting lasted three hours, significantly longer than expected, with sufficient movement on both sides to allow the leaders to agree that there was now a basis for substantive negotiations.
There was no further detail on how the two sides could reach a compromise, but it will revive Johnson’s hopes for a deal at next week’s EU summit.
Nissan: no-deal Brexit would jeopardise entire European business modelNissan: no-deal Brexit would jeopardise entire European business model
The key stumbling blocks to a deal for Ireland have been Johnson’s proposal to take Northern Ireland out of the EU customs union on Brexit day, and his plan to give the defunct Stormont assembly the final say on whether the region should also stay aligned to EU rules on goods and agrifood.The key stumbling blocks to a deal for Ireland have been Johnson’s proposal to take Northern Ireland out of the EU customs union on Brexit day, and his plan to give the defunct Stormont assembly the final say on whether the region should also stay aligned to EU rules on goods and agrifood.
Earlier this week, Varadkar said he thought it would be “very difficult” to secure an agreement by the time EU leaders meet next Thursday, but all efforts were focused on doing so because the stakes were so high.Earlier this week, Varadkar said he thought it would be “very difficult” to secure an agreement by the time EU leaders meet next Thursday, but all efforts were focused on doing so because the stakes were so high.
The taoiseach also said the UK had “repudiated” the previous deal negotiated with Theresa May’s government to ensure no hard border re-emerged on the island of Ireland because of Brexit. The British had “sort of put half of that now back on the table, and are saying that’s a concession. And of course it isn’t really.”The taoiseach also said the UK had “repudiated” the previous deal negotiated with Theresa May’s government to ensure no hard border re-emerged on the island of Ireland because of Brexit. The British had “sort of put half of that now back on the table, and are saying that’s a concession. And of course it isn’t really.”
BrexitBrexit
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
Foreign policyForeign policy
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
IrelandIreland
European UnionEuropean Union
EuropeEurope
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