Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
150. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised the issue of the UK's accession to the common transit convention with his European colleagues; and the details of such engagement to date. [48137/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s preparedness and contingency planning for Brexit has from the start included issues relating to the continued effective use of the UK landbridge. This is a priority for the Government given its importance for Irish exporters and importers as a means of access to the rest of the single market, in particular with regard to agri-food products. This is an important issue with regard to protecting the competitiveness of our producers and ensuring continued unhampered access to the EU Single Market.
To this end, I welcome the UK’s formal notification to the European Commission of its intention to join the Common Transit Convention. The UK’s accession to the Common Travel Convention will play an important role in ensuring Ireland’s access to other EU Member States via the UK landbridge.
Work on is being taken forward in two strands. The first is through the Article 50 negotiations. In the mandate provided to the European Commission by the EU27 in May 2017, it was agreed that the Withdrawal Agreement would take account of Ireland’s unique geographic situation, including the transit of goods (to and from Ireland via the UK).
The importance of maintaining the landbridge has been recognised and agreed through the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland in the draft Withdrawal Agreement which reaffirms the commitment of the UK to facilitate the efficient and timely transit through the UK of goods moving from Ireland to another EU Member State or another country, or vice versa.
The second strand is our work with the European Commission and other affected Member States (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden) with a view to preparing EU ports to facilitate the transit of EU products through the UK once it becomes a third country through the use of EU rules on internal transit set out under the Union’s Custom Code. This work is intensifying and good progress is being made.
