Sir, – For a “far-thinking solution to the conundrum of keeping trade flowing freely after Britain’s exit from the European Union” (“An economic opportunity for Northern Ireland slips past”, Opinion, October 29th) Cliff Taylor need look no further than the well-developed collaborative proposal “An Offer the EU and UK Cannot Refuse” published in August 2019 by former EU commission director general Sir Jonathan Faull and two professors of European law.
It is very unfortunate that the EU did refuse it, instantly, because if its basic principle of “dual autonomy” or “mutual enforcement” had been accepted at that time then nobody would be fretting about the Northern Ireland protocol now. Considering that we are supposed to be friends as well as neighbours it beggars belief how the regulation of a small volume of cross-border trade has become such a source of difficulty between us.
– Yours, etc,
Dr D R COOPER,
Maidenhead, UK.