Barrister Austen Morgan co-authors Special Trade Commission paper for the Legatum Institute

The paper, published in September 2017, aims to set down a comprehensive roadmap for post-Brexit trade negotiations in respect to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland/United Kingdom.

The paper states:

‘The recommendations in this paper demonstrate that the disruptions caused by the UK leaving the EU Customs Union and the Single Market can be minimised for the Irish border. But our recommendations are more than just about minimising these disruptions. The situation creates opportunities for the people of NI and the ROI. We have highlighted areas of enhanced cooperation such as in the development of SEZs, and by developing state-of-the-art customs mechanisms by using new technology such as block-chain to provide a solution to a global challenge—ensuring safe and efficient customs clearance. The Irish border is a manageable area in which such techniques could be refined….

The UK and EU have a shared goal—to maximise opportunities for all their peoples and to minimise disruptions. We need to action that goal immediately, and the Irish border issues are a good place to start.’

To view the paper, click here.

An accompanying technical paper is also available, click here. 

Dr Austen Morgan is a barrister in London and Belfast and was one of the UUP’s lead negotiators for the Belfast Agreement. He is the author of The Belfast Agreement: a practical legal analysis (London 2000).

To view Austen Morgan’s profile, click here