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#Brexit: ‘I will never allow Ireland to suffer by the British decision to leave the EU’ Verhofstadt

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Guy Verhofstadt MEP, addressed both houses of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) today (20 September). Verhofstadt told members of parliament that the European Parliament will never allow Ireland to suffer because of the British decision to leave the EU. This, he said, was a firm commitment from the European Parliament, as well as one from the European Union as a whole, writes Catherine Feore.

The European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator met with political leaders in Northern Ireland, before visiting the border area and meeting farming organisations, business and transport representatives, and community-based organisation Border Communities against Brexit. After a meeting with the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, Verhofstadt addressed members of both houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament).

Verhofstadt described the border as an ‘illogical divide’ that should remain invisible:

“Am I mistaking, when I state that the Irish border is in no way a natural one ? It is not a river, it is not a mountain ridge. It meanders for 310 miles through meadows and forests and farmland. It cannot be securely policed and is therefore an illogical divide”

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The Brexit coordinator said that a new resolution that will be adopted in early October by the European Parliament will state that Ireland must not pay the price of Brexit. He said that Ireland should not be used as a negotiating chip.

“The Irish position ís the European position. The European position ís the Irish position.”

Verhofstadt said that the UK would have to come up with a workable solution. However, he made it clear that ‘sufficient progress’ on this issues (one of three issues for phase one of the negotiations) would require safeguards for the Good Friday Agreement, the preservation of the Common Travel Area and one that doesn't compromise the Irish membership and the integrity of the single market and the customs union.

“In my opinion this can only be a unique solution. And most of the people I've met yesterday - from both sides of the border - believe that this unique solution requires that one way or another, Northern Ireland should remain part of the custom union and the single market.”

Verhofstadt acknowledged that this solution had already been rejected by the UK in their position paper on Northern Ireland, a paper that he described as ‘unconvincing’.

A withdrawal agreement can only be obtained with the consent of the European Parliament. Invited to address its plenary May politely refused, a move taken as a snub – especially in the light of her speech in Florence tomorrow.

Parliament’s Conference of Presidents (COP) recently debated the current state of play of Brexit talks and possible delay of phase two of the negotiations. A majority of group leaders felt the absence of UK proposals meant that it was more than likely the assessment on ‘sufficient progress’ on the first phase of Brexit negotiations is unlikely to have been met by the October European Council.

The European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said:

"Given the current state of play of negotiations and the current position of the UK, it would seem very difficult that sufficient progress can be achieved by October on separation issues in order to enter phase 2 of the negotiations. In this case I would think it wise for the European Council to postpone this point to its December meeting."

The COP also decided that the Parliament will adopt a resolution in the October I session that will primarily focus on the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU, post - Brexit. The resolution will also outline the European Parliament’s priorities with regard to Ireland/Northern Ireland and assess the situation on the financial settlement.

 

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