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EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has signaled a willingness to be flexible in Brexit negotiations around the Northern Ireland border.<\/p>\nEU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has signaled a willingness to be flexible in Brexit negotiations around the Northern Ireland border.<\/p>\n
Fears of a return to violence have been raised if the Good Friday Agreement is damaged by the imposition of a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.<\/p>\n
The EU\u2019s suggested solution to the problem \u2013 a common regulatory area for goods and customs with the rest of the EU \u2013 has so far been rejected by the UK as \u201cannexing\u201d Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
Calling the issue \u201cthe biggest risk\u201d caused by Brexit, Mr Barnier said he was \u201cready to improve\u201d the EU\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cSince we will not know what the future relationship will bring by autumn 2018, we need to have a backstop solution in the withdrawal agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UK agrees with this, and both the EU and the UK have said that a better solution in the future relationship could replace the backstop.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the EU has proposed is that Northern Ireland remains in a common regulatory area for goods and customs with the rest of the EU.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are ready to improve the text of our proposal with the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Barnier was also positive about reaching a deal \u201cunprecedented in scope and depth\u201d around free trade.<\/p>\n
He warned that UK proposals must not \u201cundermine\u201d the four pillars of the single market \u2013 free movement of goods, capital, services and labour, which he called \u201cone of the EU\u2019s biggest achievements\u201d \u2013 by seeking freedom only for goods.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I remain confident that the negotiations can reach a good outcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is possible to respect EU principles and create a new and ambitious partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n