Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has said that the United Kingdom and the European Union now have an opportunity to agree a deep and comprehensive trading relationship, following agreement in Brussels on phase one of the Brexit talks.
Mr Nicholson also warned that the Government must be held to its commitment this week that there can be no measures that would create new internal borders or barriers to trade within the United Kingdom.
Jim Nicholson MEP said:
“While what happened on Monday was clearly a shambles, it has demonstrated to the UK Government and EU27 leaders that pro-Union people right across the nation will not accept Brexit being used as an excuse to unravel the United Kingdom.
“We will closely follow any further discussion on ‘regulatory alignment’ in specific areas, and press the Government to commitments made this week that any such alignment applies to the whole of the United Kingdom. We cannot have a situation whereby new trade barriers or internal borders are put up within the United Kingdom - it would undermine the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom, have serious implications for the Belfast Agreement and harm our local economy.
“Equally, we do not want a return to the borders of the past and the best way to ensure a frictionless border between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland is to move to phase two of the Brexit negotiations, and agree a deep and comprehensive free trade deal. Now the UK and the EU have the opportunity to do just that, and develop a new bespoke trading relationship that works for all of the United Kingdom.”