Quote Originally Posted by Muddy Retriever View Post
I've already answered that. We can be out of both and trading under WTO rules. Extra border infrastructure could be avoided by using electronic declarations, use of customs brokers and HMRC carrying out customs inspection at company premises. This is perfectly acceptable to the WTO - they have said so.

Your objection was that this didn't get round the issue of smuggling. My question is why is that an issue if it isn't an issue now under current arrangements? Ireland and the UK have different excise rates on a number of things at present so there could be smuggling go on at the moment. Why don't we need a hard border now?

By the way I noticed this article this morning from the Irish Independent, which suggests that some people in Ireland recognise that the backstop goes too far.

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/c...-37622042.html
I would suggest we can go farther with quarterly duty declarations just like we do with VAT.

We can have a sensible de minimis level, which would take non VAT registered businesses and individuals out of the need to declare.
USA has a $800 level currently, the EU one is 22 Euro.
A de minimis level is a daily allowance. I have customers in the USA who order and keep below the level, so goods just ship and clear seamlessly.

I've been involved with imports (and exports) since the 80s and I have never been present to hand over some dosh or sign a form at a border post.