Expert panels to advise on Irish backstop alternatives in Brexit talks
It comes as the Brexit secretary was involved in a "difficult" exchange with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
Thursday 7 March 2019 06:10, UK
Expert panels will advise the government on developing alternatives to the Irish backstop in Brexit talks.
Three groups will be formed by trade and customs experts, business and trade union representatives, and MPs and peers.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Treasury Financial Secretary Mel Stride will oversee the work.
The UK and the EU have agreed to consider a "joint work stream" to develop alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop.
The proposed customs plan would avoid a "hard" border between Ireland and Northern Ireland if a free trade deal between the UK and EU could not be reached after Brexit.
The expert panels will help influence the UK's position in the talks, including looking at how other borders operate and the use of "cutting-edge" technology, officials said.
The government has already announced £20m of funding to support the development of ideas which emerge from the work.
A Department for Exiting the EU spokesman said: "There is clear support for finding alternative arrangements to ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.
"In adding business and technical expertise on top of civil service resource, we will ensure we are strengthening the government's efforts to identify the necessary facilitations and technologies."
It comes as negotiations on Theresa May's EU Withdrawal Agreement reached a deadlock on Tuesday.
Both Downing Street and the European Commission admitted the talks were "difficult" in Brussels.
The commission said there was still "no solution" to the impasse over the backstop following a meeting between the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay.
Downing Street said there had been a "robust exchange of views" as Mr Cox tried to persuade the EU to accept that legally-binding changes were needed to the backstop if the deal was to win the support of MPs.
The meeting took place as Theresa May prepared for next week's crunch "meaningful vote" in the Commons on her Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
The prime minister has said she wants legally-binding changes to the backstop to ensure the UK is not tied to EU rules indefinitely, in order to convince MPs to back her deal.
The EU commission's chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters: "Michel Barnier was present and informed the commissioners that while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult.
"No solution has been identified at this point that is consistent with the withdrawal agreement, including the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland which, as you all know, will not be reopened."
Mrs May's official spokesman told reporters at Westminster: "My understanding is that the talks were difficult and there was a robust exchange of views.
"However, talks are ongoing. The EU continues to say that it wants this to be resolved and that it wants the UK to leave with a deal.
"Parliament has been clear that for this to happen, we require legally-binding changes which mean that the UK can't be trapped in the backstop indefinitely.
"That is what we will continue to pursue."