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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 1.3 Key challenges posed by Brexit
Stability of the peace process
Polarisation
Nature of cross-border cooperation
Re-politicisation
Rights, safeguards, equality
Divergence

6. 2.1 Upholding the Agreement
Recognizing the unique situation
Flexible and imaginative solutions
Protecting rights
Representation
Using the Agreement’s institutions
Cross-border cooperation

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Presentation by David Phinnemore Katy Hayward
Queen’s University Belfast
Policy Department Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs
Responsible Administrator: Eeva ERIKSSON