Aris Georgopoulos: the DUP Is in Favor of a More Flexible, Softer Version of Brexit (EXCLUSIVE)

• 07.04.2017, 18:15
•  Europe,  World,  Interview

"Armedia" IAA presents an exclusive interview with a Lecturer in European and Public Law at the School of Law of the University of Nottingham, Dr Aris Georgopoulos on Brexit negotiations. He is also member of the Athens Bar, registered at the Athens Court of Appeal and Head of the Research Unit for Strategic and Defence Procurement of the Public Procurement Research Group (PPRG). 

 - How do you assess the process of the negotiations on Brexit? 

- The process of Brexit is at the beginning. I have not seen anything that is surprising. The choice of tone is a reminder that this is a negotiation in which the parties involved try to achieve the best possible deal for themselves and for those whom they represent. So not many surprises so far.

- What were the most important issues so far discussed?

- The issues that have been prioritized are linked with the post Brexit status of the EU nationals that reside in the UK and the UK nationals that reside in other EU member states - namely the clarification for their rights and legal status more generally. The European Union has already put forward some proposals and as of last week the UK Government put forward their proposals. On Monday they published 15-16-page-long document, where they are trying to elaborate and explain what their proposals are. As I said before this is a very early stage. There are various question marks that remain and I am sure that within the next weeks we will see a little bit more clarity.

- The Conservative party and DUP formed a coalition. Will this have its impact on Brexit negotiations and if yes, how? 

- First of all the result of a hung Parliament which means that there is not one party that commands the confidence of the Parliament indeed came as a surprise. Very few people expected such a result at the start of the general election campaign.

The Conservatives formed a coalition, even though this coalition is not really very strong in the sense that the DUP does not participate in the Government. They are simply there to support the Government in Parliament to pass various pieces of legislation.

I think that the coalition will have its impact on Brexit negotiations in the following way. Although the DUP supported the “leave” campaign, they do not support what we call “hard” Brexit. They are in favor of a more flexible, softer version of Brexit, because in Northern Ireland there is the issue of the border with the Republic of Ireland. At the moment it is a notional concept, there is no border. If there is a “hard” Brexit -involving an exit from the Customs Union- it is difficult to imagine  how an actual border there could be avoided. The problem is that this would be against various agreements between the communities of Northern Ireland, the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This is why, even though they supported “leave”, they want something, which is arguably ‘softer’. I think that the DUP will express their preferences on Brexit and if the Government puts forward proposals along those lines, then the DUP will support them.  

- What is the public mood on Brexit?  Have you felt any change since the Brexit vote? 

- It is difficult to say, although I think there is a change in the mood in the sense that some of the issues that emerged from the election, namely the resentment of austerity policies, are not necessarily those that have been advocated by the “leave” campaign a year ago. The other thing is that since we have not seen what Brexit looks like, there is the possibility of people changing their mind either way as the negotiations continue, as the final deal becomes more obvious and simultaneously as the effects and the impact of the deal become more tangible.