About: Customs Union Archives

An EU proposal to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit has prompted a war of words between London and Brussels, with UK Prime Minister Theresa May saying it would threaten the “constitutional integrity” of the UK.

Britain's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will use a speech today (27 February) to criticise staying in a customs union with the EU following Brexit, a day after the opposition Labour Party announced a policy shift in favour of the move.

The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, will clarify the party’s position on Brexit today (26 February) in a move that could lead to a major parliamentary defeat for Prime Minister Theresa May.

Britain and the European Union could reduce their differences over future trade ties by agreeing a compromise deal that would keep a chunk of British exports within the EU's customs union after Brexit, a British employers' group said.

With European Parliament elections, a new European Commission and Brexit scheduled, attention of some EU observers is already beginning to drift to 2019. However, focus should not shift too fast as the twelve months ahead promise major EU developments, which could mark 2018 down in the annals of EU history, insists Tom Parker.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was "surprised and disappointed" on Monday (4 December) after Britain failed to agree to a draft deal with EU leaders on the status of the Irish border after Brexit.

Britain could stay in a customs union with the European Union after leaving the bloc if Labour win power, the main opposition party said on Monday (25 September), putting pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May’s divided government over Brexit.

The introduction of post-Brexit customs checks could cost traders more than 4 billion pounds a year, according to a think tank report released on Monday (11 September).

To stop Brexit now would require another referendum and there is no public appetite for it, according to Denis MacShane. Instead, he argues the British government should push to remain in the single market and keep trade with Europe open.

Britain will not rule out the possibility of the European Union retaining oversight of customs controls at UK borders after it leaves the bloc, as the country seeks ways to keep unhindered access to EU markets following Brexit.

The fixation amongst Brexiteers to take back control of Britain's borders makes resolving the Irish border issue nearly impossible, writes Dick Roche.

Sharing a border of 1,600 km (1,000 miles), with close to 80 crossings, Norway and Sweden face some of the challenges that Ireland and Northern Ireland may experience when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

The UK will set out its proposals for the Irish border after Brexit today (16 August), seeking to use the issue to pressure the European Union into starting early trade negotiations.

In the coming days the UK government will release its “carefully formulated” working paper on the Irish border issue. Dick Roche gives timely advice.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator warned the United Kingdom on Thursday (6 July) that ending talks without a comprehensive agreement would only worsen the already complex situation, contrary to London's oft-repeated stance of 'no deal is better than a bad deal'.

Both sides negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the EU are underestimating the serious long-term effects, a senior figure from German industry has warned at a special event on Brexit held by EURACTIV.com.

Jeremy Corbyn meets fellow centre-left leaders in the Party of European Socialists today to discuss Brexit, writes Denis MacShane.

British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to strike a government deal in an initial round of talks with Northern Ireland's ultra-conservative DUP party on Tuesday (13 June), leaving the EU's Brexit negotiator wondering when divorce talks would begin.

The EU and Turkey should focus on working together, as they have both already proven that they are capable of doing so. The Customs Agreement and Visa Liberalisation frameworks are a good starting point, writes Ahmet Ceran.

EU-Turkey relations were boosted in the mid-1990s, when economic ties were upgraded and the 1995 Customs Union Agreement came into effect. Its benefits were widespread. It now needs reform to continue doing good, writes Samuel Doveri Vesterbye.

Brexit will throw up many challenges for the UK’s trade with Turkey. A long period without a trade deal would be harmful to all sides, writes Onur Bulbul.

Ireland will suffer greatly from the establishment of a hard border with Ulster to the North. Already, the weak pound has cost its economy dearly. EURACTIV’s partner Ouest-France reports.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May will this week be the first foreign leader to meet with Donald Trump since his inauguration, aiming to discuss a key post-Brexit trade deal with the US.

The European Union proposed Wednesday (21 December) expanding its 1996 trade agreement with Turkey in a bid to improve ties that have been strained over Ankara's stalled negotiations to join the bloc.