Boris Johnson explains post-Brexit trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK

[Denzil_DC]

Here he is addressing a gathering of Northern Ireland Conservatives at the Tayto Crisps factory yesterday:

Link to tweet

Manufacturing NI @ManufacturingNI

From tonight’s meeting with local Conservatives - @armstrong_irwin

Manufacturing NI
‏@ManufacturingNI

Most of the video (limited you 140 seconds) now uploaded

[Twitter video]

Predictably, if not inevitably, various people who know about these things have chimed in to explain that he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about, even if you can filter out all the waffling.

Here's Lewis Goodall of Sky News:

Link to tweet

Lewis Goodall ✔
@lewis_goodall

Official documents from his own government say the precise opposite of what the Prime Minister is saying here.

Link to tweet

…

Lewis Goodall ✔
@lewis_goodall

See my story from October 23rd. Checks in both directions. pic.twitter.com/E51cUwb9lq

Link to tweet

…

Here's the Guardian's Brexit Correspondent:

Johnson accused of misunderstanding own Brexit deal after NI remarks

Boris Johnson has declared he will not “implement” or “enact” checks on goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain despite arrangements for customs controls under the Brexit deal he agreed last month with the EU.

In a visit to Northern Ireland, he told business representatives that elements of his Brexit deal related to exports from the region were greatly “misunderstood” and did not involve physical checks of goods.
...
He said: “There will not be checks, and I speak as the prime minister of the United Kingdom, and a passionate unionist. There will not be checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain because we’re the government of the United Kingdom and we will not institute or implement or enact such checks.

“The idea that Tayto crisps from Tandragee are going be vetted by some process is just nonsense.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/08/boris-johnson-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-gb-wont-be-checked-brexit

And here's Anna Jerzewska, a free trade specialist:

Dr Anna Jerzewska
@AnnaJerzewska

Great example of why after #Brexit the UK won’t be able to just wave goods through and we will need #customs formalities AND checks, incl for NI to GB trade. Especially if we want to sign FTAs.

Short explainer on why customs matters
/1

Some Chinese goods are currently subject to additional tariffs or anti-dumping measures in the US and the EU due to the local market practices being deemed unfair (e.g. selling goods below the market value etc).
/2

Let’s take one example from the article, EU’s anti-dumping measures on Chinese bikes. They are designed to protect the EU producers against unfair competition from China.
/3

The EU has also recently signed an FTA with Vietnam and currently grants preferential treatment to Vietnam in other ways.
#Rulesoforigin in these agreements are designed to ensure that only goods manufactured in Vietnam have preferential access to EU markets.
/4

Such local content rules ensure that producers in other countries e.g. China cannot obtain access to EU markets without offering something in return (a bit of a simplistic take but that’s the basic principle).
/5

Chinese companies set up fake factories in Vietnam to make it look like the goods are manufactured there and to circumvent EU rules, safeguard measures and taxes.
/6

Obviously, Vietnam does not want to jeopardise its relationship with the EU and the new FTA. In super simple terms, it doesn't want to look like it can't be trusted as a trading partner.
/7

So such practices by Chinese exporters are risky and damaging for both the EU and Vietnam. Not to mention would allow China to avoid paying the right amount of tariffs. That’s why Vietnamese customs authorities will be doing more checks and inspections.
/8

Do you see where I’m going with this example?

Customs controls matter, customs checks matter. They don’t need to be done at the border but they are needed.
/9

In order for customs authorities to do their job, they need to have information on what’s crossing the border, where is it from, who manufactured/produced it etc.
/10

This is where customs declarations come in (paperwork). They are a way to declare this info to customs authorities.
/11

Checks, of paperwork or of goods themselves (e.g. loaded trucks) are introduced to verify that this info is true.
As well as to protect the market from smuggling and dangerous goods.
/12

Yes, we can be flexible and inventive when it comes to NI-GB trade. And yes NI will technically be in UK's customs territory.
/13

But if we want to sign trade deals our trade partners will want to know which goods come from NI and which from ROI and we need to find a way to collect this info.
EU FTA partners will want to ensure goods come from the EU and not GB
/14

And this is why customs is important in international trade.

It can be streamlined and improved, sure, but all the formalities have been put in place for a reason.

/ends

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1192706433319612416.html

Others, including me, are asking why, if it's such a great deal for Northern Ireland and freedom of movement and access to the single market is so desirable, the same sort of deal hasn't been extended to the rest of the UK:

Link to tweet

Adam Bienkov ✔
@AdamBienkov

“Northern Ireland has got a great deal. You keep free movement. You keep access to the single market.”

[Twitter video]