Brexit news - Ireland's EU commissioner says Britain should stay in customs union
In an inflammatory intervention EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan blasted “conflicting messages” coming out of Westminster and described his home country as “the biggest victim of this mess”. Dublin’s top man in Brussels, who is very close to the Irish government, said he was “very concerned” about the UK’s approach to the divorce talks so far and mocked suggestions global trade can relate EU membership.
GETTY Phil Hogan said Britain should stay in the Customs Union
He said Britain should look to remain in the customs union, which would significantly mitigate the impact of Brexit on Ireland, but which for many Brexiteers would represent a key betrayal of the referendum vote. The customs union, which sets the EU’s external tariff regime, precludes member states from signing their own trade deals and pools all trade policy power in the hands of the Commission.
Senior politicians from the Leave camp repeatedly promised that the UK would take back control of its own destiny on the global stage and seek out new economic relationships as a major upside of leaving the bloc. Several partner states, including the four Efta countries and Turkey, have close customs arrangements with the EU but no non-member as of yet is a full member of the customs union. Mr Hogan’s intervention is likely to be given short shrift within Downing Street, but it will be seen as further evidence of the determination some within the EU still hold to keep Britain in the project. The Irishman also threw doubt on claims by international trade secretary Liam Fox and chancellor Philip Hammond that the UK could secure a transitional deal with Brussels, saying it would need ratifying by all 27 members.
I think that there’s a high level of delusion in London Phil Hogan
He told the FT: “I think that there’s a high level of delusion in London at the moment about what is required to be done. I’m very concerned about the Irish question. Ireland is probably the biggest victim of this mess. “But if there is an appetite for a pragmatic and reasonable outcome to a free-trade agreement, well then membership of the customs union would make a significant contribution to this.” Mr Hogan revealed that he had spoken to the director-general of the influential CBI business group, Carolyn Fairbairn, and urged her to get companies to lobby the PM over continued customs union membership. His remarks were made before Mr Hammond and Mr Fox published a joint article expressing their desire to seek a time-limited transitional deal with the EU, but also confirming the UK will leave the single market and customs union.
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