The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said that there will be some customs checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and Great Britain after Brexit as an “indispensable” part of the Withdrawal Agreement.
This pours cold water on prime minister Boris Johnson’s claims that trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland would not be subject to interference.
The Withdrawal Agreement will see Northern Ireland abide by EU rules on agricultural and manufactured goods, but this will not be the case for Great Britain.
However, in spite of the fact that Northern Ireland will have to enforce EU customs rules, the whole of the UK will leave the customs union, meaning that some new checks on goods being transported between Northern Ireland and Great Britain are inevitable.
The exact nature of any future checks is unclear at this stage, but it will become known toward the end of the Brexit transition period which lapses on December 31, 2020.
Speaking at Queen’s University in Belfast, Barnier said: "In agreeing to the protocol [Withdrawal Agreement], the UK has agreed to a system of reinforced checks and controls for goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
"I understand the fears of negative economic fallout expressed by some about these checks. But, Brexit unfortunately has consequences that we must manage.”
Prior to the opening of talks on the future relationship between the UK and EU, Barnier is awaiting further clarity from the UK government as to how far they plan to diverge from EU rules after Brexit.
Issues upon which Barnier is thought to be seeking further clarity include future standards concerning the safety and quality of certain products, as well as rules encompassing fair competition.
Barnier said: "It is not clear to me whether, when the UK leaves the EU and the single market, it will also choose to leave Europe's societal and regulatory model. That is the key question, and we are waiting for an answer.
"That answer will be key for our future relationship."
Chancellor Sajid Javid has already indicated that the UK will diverge from some EU rules when it is in the best interests of business, but reassured that the government will not look to diverge purely for the sake of doing so.
