Theresa May described that the EU want a backstop to the backstop - what does this mean?

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In her statement to Parliament, Theresa May stated that the EU wanted a backstop to the backstop.



If I understand correctly, the backstop is a fallback position for customs and regulatory arrangements in Northern Ireland if the UK/EU negotiations fail to reach agreement during the transition phase defined in the Withdrawal Agreement.



With this primary backstop in place, can the UK continue to unilaterally decide the future for Northern Ireland if talks break down during the transition period?



What does Theresa May mean by a backstop to a backstop?










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    In her statement to Parliament, Theresa May stated that the EU wanted a backstop to the backstop.



    If I understand correctly, the backstop is a fallback position for customs and regulatory arrangements in Northern Ireland if the UK/EU negotiations fail to reach agreement during the transition phase defined in the Withdrawal Agreement.



    With this primary backstop in place, can the UK continue to unilaterally decide the future for Northern Ireland if talks break down during the transition period?



    What does Theresa May mean by a backstop to a backstop?










    share|improve this question

























      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
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      down vote

      favorite











      In her statement to Parliament, Theresa May stated that the EU wanted a backstop to the backstop.



      If I understand correctly, the backstop is a fallback position for customs and regulatory arrangements in Northern Ireland if the UK/EU negotiations fail to reach agreement during the transition phase defined in the Withdrawal Agreement.



      With this primary backstop in place, can the UK continue to unilaterally decide the future for Northern Ireland if talks break down during the transition period?



      What does Theresa May mean by a backstop to a backstop?










      share|improve this question















      In her statement to Parliament, Theresa May stated that the EU wanted a backstop to the backstop.



      If I understand correctly, the backstop is a fallback position for customs and regulatory arrangements in Northern Ireland if the UK/EU negotiations fail to reach agreement during the transition phase defined in the Withdrawal Agreement.



      With this primary backstop in place, can the UK continue to unilaterally decide the future for Northern Ireland if talks break down during the transition period?



      What does Theresa May mean by a backstop to a backstop?







      united-kingdom european-union brexit northern-ireland theresa-may






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      edited 13 mins ago









      Machavity

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      12.9k33866










      asked 5 hours ago









      Ben

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          The argument is over how long this "backstop" situation might continue. In theory it is meant to be temporary, but temporary political fixes have a way of becoming permanent. Hence the fear is that Northern Ireland will become a de-facto part of the Republic. The UK will have control of income tax, criminal law and policing, but the economy, including VAT and other duties, will be effectively under EU control and trade in general will be be pushed even more towards the Republic as all the border controls will be across the Irish Sea.



          Therefore the UK, unable to avoid agreeing to some kind of temporary backstop, is trying to make sure that there is some hard time limit on it. The EU is refusing to accept this because they don't want to see border controls ever applied across the current Northern Ireland border (where you can currently just drive across without even slowing down). It is this rejection of a time limit on the backstop that Theresa may is calling a "backstop to the backstop".






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            The argument is over how long this "backstop" situation might continue. In theory it is meant to be temporary, but temporary political fixes have a way of becoming permanent. Hence the fear is that Northern Ireland will become a de-facto part of the Republic. The UK will have control of income tax, criminal law and policing, but the economy, including VAT and other duties, will be effectively under EU control and trade in general will be be pushed even more towards the Republic as all the border controls will be across the Irish Sea.



            Therefore the UK, unable to avoid agreeing to some kind of temporary backstop, is trying to make sure that there is some hard time limit on it. The EU is refusing to accept this because they don't want to see border controls ever applied across the current Northern Ireland border (where you can currently just drive across without even slowing down). It is this rejection of a time limit on the backstop that Theresa may is calling a "backstop to the backstop".






            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              3
              down vote













              The argument is over how long this "backstop" situation might continue. In theory it is meant to be temporary, but temporary political fixes have a way of becoming permanent. Hence the fear is that Northern Ireland will become a de-facto part of the Republic. The UK will have control of income tax, criminal law and policing, but the economy, including VAT and other duties, will be effectively under EU control and trade in general will be be pushed even more towards the Republic as all the border controls will be across the Irish Sea.



              Therefore the UK, unable to avoid agreeing to some kind of temporary backstop, is trying to make sure that there is some hard time limit on it. The EU is refusing to accept this because they don't want to see border controls ever applied across the current Northern Ireland border (where you can currently just drive across without even slowing down). It is this rejection of a time limit on the backstop that Theresa may is calling a "backstop to the backstop".






              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                3
                down vote










                up vote
                3
                down vote









                The argument is over how long this "backstop" situation might continue. In theory it is meant to be temporary, but temporary political fixes have a way of becoming permanent. Hence the fear is that Northern Ireland will become a de-facto part of the Republic. The UK will have control of income tax, criminal law and policing, but the economy, including VAT and other duties, will be effectively under EU control and trade in general will be be pushed even more towards the Republic as all the border controls will be across the Irish Sea.



                Therefore the UK, unable to avoid agreeing to some kind of temporary backstop, is trying to make sure that there is some hard time limit on it. The EU is refusing to accept this because they don't want to see border controls ever applied across the current Northern Ireland border (where you can currently just drive across without even slowing down). It is this rejection of a time limit on the backstop that Theresa may is calling a "backstop to the backstop".






                share|improve this answer












                The argument is over how long this "backstop" situation might continue. In theory it is meant to be temporary, but temporary political fixes have a way of becoming permanent. Hence the fear is that Northern Ireland will become a de-facto part of the Republic. The UK will have control of income tax, criminal law and policing, but the economy, including VAT and other duties, will be effectively under EU control and trade in general will be be pushed even more towards the Republic as all the border controls will be across the Irish Sea.



                Therefore the UK, unable to avoid agreeing to some kind of temporary backstop, is trying to make sure that there is some hard time limit on it. The EU is refusing to accept this because they don't want to see border controls ever applied across the current Northern Ireland border (where you can currently just drive across without even slowing down). It is this rejection of a time limit on the backstop that Theresa may is calling a "backstop to the backstop".







                share|improve this answer












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                answered 4 hours ago









                Paul Johnson

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