DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS UK Withdrawal (‘Brexit’) and the Good Friday Agreement

Outline 1. The Agreement 2. The EU context for the Agreement 1. How the conflict is framed 2. The EU context for the Agreement 3. Key challenges posed by Brexit 2. Solutions 1. Upholding the Agreement 2. Maintaining the context 3. Macro-level options 4. A soft border and policy cooperation

1.1 How the conflict is framed A border conflict UK-Ireland relationship Principles Self-determination and consent Rights and Equality Multilevel governance Strands One, Two and Three

1.2 The EU context for the Agreement EU model and environment The EU in British-Irish agreements EU process Cross-border cooperation and integration EU stimulus All-island economy

1.3 Key challenges posed by Brexit Stability of the peace process Polarisation Nature of cross-border cooperation Re-politicisation Rights, safeguards, equality Divergence

2.1 Upholding the Agreement Recognizing the unique situation Flexible and imaginative solutions Protecting rights Representation Using the Agreement’s institutions Cross-border cooperation

2.2 Maintaining the context Minimize disruption to economic activity on the island of Ireland Keep the border as soft as possible Common legal and regulatory frameworks need to be maintained Maintain opportunities for institutionalized cross-border cooperation

2.3 Macro-level options UK-EU relationship Northern Ireland remaining in the EU Differentiated treatment of Northern Ireland Northern Ireland in the EEA Northern Ireland in a customs union with the EU Agricultural free trade on the island of Ireland

2.4 A soft border and policy cooperation Border checks and technology Continued access to EU funding and programmes Northern Ireland per se ‘All-island’ eligibility

Conclusion Maintain context of free movement Ensure border remains as unobtrusive and as soft as possible See Northern Ireland as a point of contact between the UK and Ireland/EU Use territorial differentiation and flexible and imaginative solutions to minimize disruption to status quo

Presentation by David Phinnemore Katy Hayward Queen’s University Belfast Policy Department Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs Responsible Administrator: Eeva ERIKSSON poldep-citizens@europarl.europa.eu