The progress of the UK’s negotiations on EU withdrawal (March to May 2018)



The above is the link to the Select Committee report I referenced earlier.    This was unanimously agreed by the whole committee, including Jacob Rees-Mogg. You can see the full list of commitee members in the report. This is not "Leavers" putting a spin on things, then, but both leaver and remain agreeing in writing that neither of the proposed customs models, including that favoured by Brexiteers could be achieved in the time available.


20.
It is highly unsatisfactory that nearly two years after the referendum, Ministers have yet to agree, and set out in detail, what kind of trading and customs arrangements they wish to seek in negotiations with the European Union. The Secretary of State has said that the EU’s dismissal of the UK’s original proposals for its future customs arrangements was an opening negotiating position. However, the Government admits that further work is required to make both the maximum facilitation proposal and the new customs partnership proposal viable propositions. Moreover, trade in goods currently regulated through the Customs Union is not the only challenge that must be resolved in order to secure frictionless trade. Significant elements of intra-EU trade are also regulated through Single Market legislation that sits alongside the Customs Union. As the December text agreed between the Government and the European Union makes clear, agreement on solutions to maintain frictionless trade on the Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland border cannot wait until the transition/implementation period. The European Council, the UK Parliament and the European Parliament will need absolute clarity on the UK’s future customs arrangement before being asked to approve the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration.

21.
The Government has indicated that neither the maximum facilitation proposal nor the new customs partnership, if agreed, is likely to be ready in time during the agreed 21-month transition/implementation period. Each option will have to be judged against the commitment repeatedly made by the Government to have no hard border in Northern Ireland, no infrastructure at the border and to uphold in full the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. The Prime Minister has alluded to “contingencies” that can be triggered in this eventuality but has not set them out. The Secretary of State has ruled out any extension of the Customs Union but in the absence of any other plan, such an extension will be the only viable option. The Committee calls on the Government to set out clearly its proposals on customs beyond 2020, and any contingency plans as a matter of urgency. This should include whether it is likely that an extension of the transition/implementation period will be required and whether it intends to seek to include the option for such an extension in the Withdrawal Agreement. It is also highly likely that any special contingencies that are necessary at the border will have to be replicated in other Member States if they are to be effective.