Getty Northern Irish will still be able to become EU citizens

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The latest position paper, released yesterday, has placed the protection of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement as one of four top priorities regarding Northern Ireland. Under the agreement, people in Northern Ireland are allowed to choose either or both British and Irish citizenship. In the Government’s position paper on Northern Ireland, it states: “As long as Ireland remains a member of the EU, Irish citizenship also confers EU citizenship, with all the rights that go with this. “This is as true for the people of Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens — or who hold both British and Irish citizenship — as it is for Irish citizens in Ireland.”

As long as Ireland remains a member of the EU, Irish citizenship also confers EU citizenship UK position paper

The European Commission had previously demanded those living in Northern Ireland continue to have EU rights after Brexit. By allowing Northern Irish people to continue to be able to obtain Irish - and therefore EU - citizenship after Brexit, the issue of the border between the two countries will be made easier for both the EU and the UK. Britain’s proposal to keep the Good Friday Agreement is sure to anger Scotland where the majority of the electorate voted to stay in the EU. Since the referendum last June Scottish politicians, especially First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, have been fighting to remain in the bloc while the rest of the UK leaves.

Brexit debate in pictures Mon, April 17, 2017 The debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg will focus on key issues of the Brexit talks including reciprocal rights for EU citizens, the peace process in Northern Ireland and trade Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 23 Former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage (L) gestures as he speaks with EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (R) prior to a debate on the conclusions of the last European Council, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

The question of residency and work rights for EU citizens who are not Irish will be addressed later in the Brexit negotiations, the British Government said. Brexit Secretary David Davis said the UK also wanted to protect the Common Travel Area for those travelling between the two Irelands. He said the UK did not want any physical infrastructure on the border, with Whitehall confirming this means no CCTV cameras or number plate recognition systems.

When it comes to the movement of goods across the border, the paper proposed a customs partnership with the EU so there would be no tariff implications on the border at all. If, as many expect, a less fulsome agreement is reached, the Government still wants 80 per cent of Irish businesses to avoid tariffs. It proposes small to medium-sized operations which criss-cross the border as part of localising daily trade should continue to do so unfettered.

Getty Irish leader Leo Varadkar welcomed the proposal

Getty Northern Ireland leader Arlene Foster also approved with the proposals