The European Commission has published a draft UK withdrawal agreement which would establish a "common regulatory area" between the EU and Northern Ireland after Brexit. "Today, we publish the draft #Article50 Withdrawal Agreement which translates into a legal text the joint commitments of the EU and the United Kingdom. The EU text puts into legal terms the Joint Report agreed by Mrs May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in December, and is due to be agreed by the remaining 27 EU states next month. Customs controls would be "carried out jointly by the Union and the United Kingdom customs authorities competent for the territory of Northern Ireland". Northern Ireland would remain subject to EU restrictions restricting state aid for companies, in respect of measures affecting trade between the territory and the EU.

Source: Evening echo February 28, 2018 12:22 UTC