THE BRITISH DEPARTMENT for Exiting the European Union will begin publishing its Brexit proposals this week.

The department will publish a number of papers – including one on the plans for the North.

The papers form the result of more than a year of preparatory work in Whitehall.

The papers will cover both the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the “deep and special partnership” they want to build with the European Union.

Among them are likely to be three formal position papers, which lay the groundwork for the next negotiating round in Brussels at the end of the month which will cover:

• Proposals around issues unique to Northern Ireland and Ireland
• Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK
• Confidentiality and access to official documents following the UK’s withdrawal

A series of broader “future partnership” papers will also be published in the run-up to the October European Council.

The first of these will outline detailed proposals for a new customs arrangement, which will form the basis for further engagement with businesses and stakeholders ahead of future negotiating rounds.

A DExEU source said:

“The approaches outlined in these papers have been carefully formulated following months of work and consultation.

We’ve been crystal clear that issues around our withdrawal and our future partnership are inextricably linked, and the negotiations so far have reinforced that view.

“These papers show we are ready to broaden out the negotiations. Businesses and citizens in the UK and EU want to see the talks progress, and move towards discussing a deal that works for both sides.”

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