Possible Solution To The Ni Border Issue Post Brexit?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-41413291/frictionless-borders-learning-from-norway
I saw a short report on this last night, seems to work quite well.

[cassa333]

Yes Tora there are plenty of options. There doesn't need to be a hard border. I don think think there was one before the EU got involved anyway so as long as NI doesn't become an avenue for illegal access to the UK then I would be happy with a system that is similar or even the same as Sweden and Norway.

[mikey4444]

TTT....yes, I saw this earlier this week. Its interesting but
I am not sure that Eire or the UK will be prepared to put a lot of money into solving the problem. Also, there are hundreds of un-monitored crossing points on the island of Ireland.

[Old_Geezer]

There wouldn't be an issue if the EU would accept the already suggested option. But it seems they are less keen on an open border in and out of the EU, and much keener on obstructing progress and singing :

More more more
How do you like it how do you like it
More more more
How do you like it how do you like it
More more more
How do you like it how do you like it
Oooh how do you like the EU's unreasonable demands for your cash ?

[mikey4444]

OG.....are you sharing PP's choice of pills ?

[Old_Geezer]

You'll be singing it by the end of the day.

[New Judge]

“Also, there are hundreds of un-monitored crossing points on the island of Ireland.”

As there are in Sweden/Norway, Mikey. More probably because it is 1,000 miles long compared to about 300 for the Ireland:UK divider.

There is actually no problem at all (as far as the UK is concerned) with the Irish border. Post Brexit the UK can do what it likes with traffic from the south to the north. It can allow completely free reign (as has been the situation for about 100 years). What the Irish do about traffic in the opposite direction is, of course, a matter for them. Oh no! I forgot! They cannot do as they like because they are in the EU. So it is for the EU to decide what conditions prevail. If they had any sense (which is why it probably won’t happen) they could simply retain a borderless facility. Ireland is not part of their beloved Schengen Area so there are still border controls between Ireland and the rest of what remains of the EU. Personally I think the Euromainiacs should get their heads together to come up with a solution. After all, it’s their border just as much as it is ours. Trying to solve a practical problem which has an effect on real people might divert their attentions away from making extortionate financial demands of the UK. But I doubt it.

[jno]

only about 40 according to Wikipedia, NJ. Ten with customs stations, 30 not. However, both countries are in the Schengen zone so migration doesn't have to be monitored; not so for Ireland and the UK.

[New Judge]

"...so migration doesn't have to be monitored; not so for Ireland and the UK"

There is no reason why migration has to be routinely monitored between the UK and Ireland if both countries (or rather the UK and the EU) deem it unnecessary. It has not been required for around 100 years. It was not needed when neither nation held membership of the EEC/EU and it was not needed when both did. This leads me to believe that it is Ireland's continued membership of the EU (or perhaps even - blasphemously - the EU itself) rather than the UK's imminent departure that is causing the problems. That said, it might be a good idea if the Euromanics addressed the problem - if indeed one exists - with a little more fervour.

[Buenchico]

Something that nobody seems to have mentioned is that, while Norway is outside the EU, it's still within the EEA. That means that it has free trade with EU states but, in order to achieve it, Norway still has to comply with the vast majority of EU laws and regulations. (i.e. it's where the UK would be after 'soft Brexit').

Theresa May still seems determined to go down the path of 'hard Brexit', which would leave the UK outside of the EEA, so the Sweden-Norway border solution couldn't be applied to the Ireland-UK one.

[jno]

NJ, migration didn't have to be monitored prevously because the British weren't worried about foreigners arriving. Now they are.

[New Judge]

"NJ, migration didn't have to be monitored prevously because the British weren't worried about foreigners arriving. Now they are."

I don't think the UK is concerned about foreigners arriving from Ireland, jno. There has been no vast influx of foreigners (i.e. non-Irish) whilst we have been EU members. Why should that change after we have left?

[jno]

I've been assured that the world's immigrants, legal and otherwise, want nothing more than to come to Britain. An open border with the EU will make that easier. If the premise is true, of course.

[New Judge]

We already have an open border with the EU. The fact that we will no longer be part of it (or the fact that we are part of it at present) has no bearing on migrants' desire or ability to get here.