A blog post by Dr. Ben Warwick and Mr. Colin Murray for The Conversation on the Convention on Social Security agreed by the UK and Ireland, as well as what else needs to be done to preserve the Common Travel Area after Brexit.
Continue readingThe Common Travel Area
On this page, you will find all the work we are doing on the Common Travel Area (CTA). The CTA is a concept that most in the UK and Ireland are familiar with, but not necessarily for what it is: as a set of tacit agreements that are directly impacted by the UK's exit from the EU, and that need to be brought on to a firmer legal footing.
Written Evidence: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019.
This evidence updates our previous work done for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on the Common Travel Area, and draws upon our book, Bordering Two Unions: Northern Ireland and Brexit, published in August 2018.
Discussion Paper on the Common Travel Area.
We produced a discussion paper on the CTA, commissioned by the Joint Committee of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
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Policy Paper: Northern Ireland and the Brave New World of Brexit.
With October 2017 witnessing the beginning of consideration of amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill and the culmination of efforts to address aspects of Brexit affecting the island of Ireland in Phase 1 of the UK’s withdrawal negotiations, this paper is intended to focus on some of the emerging issues for Northern Ireland as the contours of Brexit become increasingly defined.
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The Common Travel Area: Prospects After Brexit.
Maintaining the Common Travel Area that has existed between the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man has been set down by the UK Prime Minister as one of her government’s 12 key negotiating objectives. In this note, some of the functions of the CTA are described, and the possible threats to it from Brexit are explored. It is concluded that the flexibility and informality of the CTA means that while maintaining it in name is relatively easy, changes to its substance are likely. Close scruntiny of any changes to the reciprocal nature and substantive provisions of the CTA are therefore essential to assessing the success of this aspect of the UK government’s negotiations.
“There is no appetite for the return of the fortified border posts which were so emblematic of the Troubles. However, in choosing their words carefully, ministers have sought to reassure the Northern Irish public on the most extreme outcome (the hard border) while neglecting to address the other possible day-to-day impacts which Brexit will have on the island of Ireland.”
Brexit-ing Northern Ireland: The challenges Ahead.
Post on the Oxford Business Law Blog by Dr. Sylvia de Mars, Mr. Colin Murray, Prof. Aoife O’Donoghue and Dr. Ben Warwick, discussing how Brexit might affect trade and travel and significantly, peace and prosperity, across the Irish border
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Ireland faces partition again. Preserving the peace is critical.
Emer O’Toole’s opinion in the Guardian discussing the reinstatement of a physical border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland following Brexit with reference to the Policy Paper on Brexit, Ireland and Northern Ireland written by Dr. Sylvia de Mars, Mr. Colin Murray, Prof. Aoife O’Donoghue and Dr. Ben Warwick.
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Policy Paper: Brexit, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
There are many very specific ‘Irish’ dimensions to current political debates surrounding potential ‘Brexit’ which are not being addressed in detail (if at all) by the Leave and Remain campaigns. This policy paper aims to shed light on these aspects of Brexit, so as to inform interested voters. The paper also engages directly with policy makers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, so as to ensure that future negotiations with Westminster and/or Brussels regarding both the EU referendum take full account of the specific ways in which their jurisdictions will be affected by the changes.
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Brexit: Theresa Villiers misleading on return of Border Controls.
Prof. Aoife O’Donoghue and Dr. Sylvia de Mars in The Irish Times discussing the Common Travel Area and the potential impact of Brexit on this special relationship between the UK and Ireland.
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