EU Warns U.K. Irish Border Deal Will Be Closely Watched

(Bloomberg) -- The European Union said it will monitor closely the implementation of the deal to keep the Irish border invisible after the U.K. exits the bloc.

As part of the U.K.’s divorce deal, it agreed to effectively keep Northern Ireland in the EU’s customs union, meaning British authorities will have to monitor the flow of goods moving from the rest of the U.K. into the region.

“It’s going to be a law -- we all abide by the law,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Dublin on Wednesday. “We are going to make sure that the rules are being followed clearly.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Jan. 13 that there’ll only be checks “if those goods were going on into Ireland” and only then if the U.K. doesn’t secure a comprehensive trade deal with the EU. Yet some trade experts say, even if there’s a Free Trade Agreement with the bloc, checks will be needed to ensure goods going to Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. meet EU standards.

The EU would “ensure that all provisions are respected and made operational,” EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told the European Parliament on Jan. 14.

The agreement, aimed at preventing a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, was a major part of the U.K.’s Brexit deal, which comes into effect when the country leaves the bloc on Jan. 31.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ian Wishart in Brussels at iwishart@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Dara Doyle

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