UK says it may seek 'temporary' customs union with EU
LONDON (AP) - Britain says it might seek to remain in a customs union with the European Union for a time to avoid border chaos after leaving the bloc.
The Department for Exiting the European Union said Tuesday that there could be "a temporary customs union between the U.K. and the EU."
And it said a future "customs partnership" could eliminate the need for a customs border between Britain and the EU.
FILE - A Monday July 17, 2017 file photo of EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, welcoming British Secretary of State, David Davis, for a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels. The British government is fighting back against criticisms that it is divided and unprepared for Brexit, announcing it will publish a set of detailed proposals on customs arrangements, the status of the Ireland-Northern Ireland border and other issues. The Department for Exiting the European Union said Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, that it would release the first set of position papers this week, more than a year after Britons voted in a referendum to leave the European Union.(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaer, File)
The question of whether there will be economic barriers with the EU after Brexit in March 2019 has been the subject of mixed signals from U.K. government ministers.
The lack of clarity has created uncertainty for British businesses.
The government is trying to rebuff claims before a new round of talks later this month that it is unprepared for Brexit negotiations.