Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
58. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to examples in which a region of a third country was part of the EU customs territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12264/18]
View answerI understand the above question subsequently amended by the Deputy, to now read: "To ask the Minister if he has examined existing instances of non-EU countries, or regions of non-EU countries, being members of the EU's Customs Union, in relation to potential solutions for ensuring no future border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland".
The Government is aware of the full range of customs agreements in place between the EU and non-EU countries. The EU Customs Union comprises the 28 Member States, Monaco and some non-EU territories of the UK (Sovereign Base areas in Cyprus, the Channels Islands and the Isle of Man). The EU also has customs unions, free trade agreements and customs cooperation agreements with many countries.
Within the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, the EU has made clear that, in view of the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, flexible and imaginative solutions will be required, including with the aim of avoiding a hard border, while respecting the integrity of the Union legal order. This approach is reflected in the draft Withdrawal Agreement and its Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The Government has been clear that our preference is to avoid a hard border through the wider EU-UK future relationship agreement, a view we share with the UK government, or through specific solutions and we are also committed to exploring specific solutions to be proposed by the UK, if necessary. At the same time, and should it prove necessary, there is now the necessary legal provision to implement the backstop of maintaining full alignment in Northern Ireland with those rules of the Single Market and Customs Union necessary to protect North South cooperation and to avoid a hard border.
