Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Irish Brexit border issue could endanger EU-U.S. trade deal - Congressman

Published 20/04/2019, 10:52
Updated 20/04/2019, 10:52
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Pelosi visits Ireland

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Pelosi visits Ireland

DUBLIN (Reuters) - An influential U.S. congressman has warned the European Union that any Brexit arrangement that undermines Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement could endanger a proposed EU-U.S. trade deal, the Irish Times reported on Friday.

The European Union last week said it was ready to start talks on a trade agreement with the United States and aims to conclude a deal before year-end.

"If America wants a trade agreement with the European Union, which I think is very desirable – I want it – at the same time you are back to the same issue on the border if you do anything that dampens or softens the Good Friday Agreement," Democratic Congressman Richard Neal was quoted as saying.

Neal is visiting Ireland with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who on Wednesday said the United States would also not agree to any trade deal with Britain if future Brexit arrangements undermine peace in Ireland, reiterating comments made by the congressman in February.

The European Union has insisted it will not accept any British withdrawal agreement that results in any infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, something that would anger Irish nationalists and could become a target for militants.

But some British politicians have called on Brussels to soften this demand to get a deal done.

Neal, chairman of the Congressional committee overseeing trade, said any Brexit deal must maintain the sanctity of the peace agreement, the Irish Times reported.

How to keep EU-member Ireland's 500km (350 mile) border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit is proving the most intractable issue in Britain's tortuous efforts to leave the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's government is in talks with the opposition Labour Party to build support for a Brexit divorce deal that parliament has already rejected three times, potentially delaying the UK's departure date from the European Union until the end of October.

Much of the opposition to May's deal within her own party is centred on fears that it would not provide a clean enough break to allow the United Kingdom to forge new trade deals around the world, especially with the United States.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Pelosi visits Ireland

Latest comments

Frankly, this has gone on for far too long due to opposition MPs who only have aims to oppose anything the Prime Minister has to offer.Theresa May's offers have all been quite reasonable and the only reason these opposing MPs have been voting against her offer is because they just simply want her seat in Parliament.Their behaviour in recent weeks at Parliament has been disgusting, immoral and selfish.The citizens of the UK have to deal with the consequences of this ongoing fight between MPs who should be working together in this point in time for the greater good of their nation.Nonetheless politics remains a game for MPs all over the world.Disgusting.
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.