May calls on EU to 'evolve' position over Ireland border
PM on first visit since Brexit vote; says bloc's plan 'unworkable'
Irish govt conditionally open to new proposal
UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday urged the EU to axe its "unworkable" plan for the Irish border after Brexit, accusing the bloc of inflexibility on the issue.
In her first visit to Northern Ireland since Britain voted to leave the EU in June 2016, May said she would never accept a border down the Irish Sea.
“The economic and constitutional dislocation of a formal ‘third country’ customs border within our own country is something I will never accept, and I believe no British prime minister could ever accept,” she told a business audience in Belfast.
Ireland's Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe, said the republic was open to new ideas, but only if they were better than any exiting plans on the table.
“The only thing that could replace this current form of a backstop is, number one, something which is better; number two, something which is agreed and number three, something that would be legally operable,” he told Irish state broadcaster RTE.
The EU's “backstop” option would leave Northern Ireland as part of the bloc to ensure a soft border but would create a border down the Irish Sea.
“It is now for the EU to respond. Not simply to fall back on to previous positions which have already been proven unworkable. But to evolve their position in kind,” she said.
May's alternative "facilitated customs arrangement" will see all imported goods charged the UK tariff at the border and tracked. If the products are sent on to the continent they will be charged the European Union tariff with money passed on to Brussels.
The border remains a crucial issue to resolve in the Brexit negotiations with the EU and a concern for the Northern Irish citizens.
Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster, and ardent Brexiteer on whom May relies for her parliamentary majority, said she did not want to see "new internal barriers created inside the United Kingdom".
The EU is less optimistic about Brexit negotiations and are preparing for a “no deal” outcome. On Wednesday night Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Ireland was looking to hire about 1,000 officials for customs, veterinary and export checks to cope with a no deal scenario.
(Writing by Frank Prenesti)