Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

SIPA USA/PA Images

Was the Brexit timeline always unrealistic? Back in 1982 it took Greenland three years to leave

It took Greenland three years to complete their exit negotiations with the EEC and that was a lot less difficult, writes Jason O’Sullivan.

THE BRITISH PRIME Minister Theresa May will be returning to Brussels in her audacious bid to secure “alternatives” to the much maligned and divisive issue of the Irish backstop.

Her attempts to reopen negotiations on the 585-page withdrawal agreement as previously agreed between the UK and the 27 member states of the EU, seems an impossible task.

Particularly, if one is to listen to the commentary coming from Brussels and the Irish government. They have articulated in unison their diplomatic disdain and contempt at the thought of having to reopen the painstakingly negotiated agreement that had safeguarded the continuation of the Irish border in its current state.

Nevertheless, such imminent EU talks will soon unfold and in the interim, certain UK political figures and media will continue to condemn and blame the Irish backstop for all their Brexit woes.

No doubt, such rhetoric is inherently unjust but will remain a useful distraction from the self-serving nature and disarray of modern-day British politics.

If one is to point the proverbial finger of blame, however, the premature triggering of the deadline placed on Brexit by the British government appears to be a far more apt target.

The well documented and foreseen complexities existent within Brexit, in the first instance, demanded there be a far more realistic timeframe set to achieve such a monumental task.

In hindsight, it is fair to argue that Theresa May was grossly unrealistic in her ambitions, when she set in motion Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, on 29 March 2017, leaving an automatic deadline of two years as the exit date.

On the day of the announcement, the former SNP leader Alex Salmond pointed to disunity across the UK and had urged the government to delay the triggering of Article 50.

“After nine months of this prime minister’s approach to Brexit, Northern Ireland is deadlocked, the Welsh are alienated, Scotland is going for a referendum, the English are split down the middle,” he said.

Prior to May making that decision, one would have assumed her trusted advisors would have verified whether triggering a two-year timeline at that point was realistic.

Despite the internal pressures from her own party, or externally from the EU to announce a date, a mere perusal of Greenland’s exit should have set alarm bells ringing.

In 1982, Greenland voted to leave the EEC and it took until 1985 to complete its contentious exit negotiations. Greenland itself is the largest island in the world and a former colony of Denmark. Although it still remains part of the Danish kingdom, it has its own devolved government in a similar manner to Scotland within the UK.

When Greenland voted to leave the EEC, one of the key policy reasons was its concern over fishing rights – the country’s primary source of income.

With a population of approximately 56,000 in comparison to the UK’s 66 million, Greenland’s exit would have been deemed rather simplistic by comparison. 

Despite this the negotiations were drawn-out and politically fraught, taking nearly three years and requiring over 100 meetings between diplomats and officials.

Greenland’s lengthy departure, albeit different, clearly demonstrated that any subsequent exit from the European Union would be latent with bureaucratic, diplomatic and legal challenges.

Even more so if one acknowledges the considerable increase in policy, social and legal complexities, including the EU’s greater expansion and influence in the intervening years since 1982. Taking into account these economic, political and societal intricacies existent within Brexit, time was always going to be a critical issue in achieving an orderly exit.

It is still anyone’s guess how the Brexit conundrum will eventually conclude with the deadline of 29 March 2019 looming. 14 February is the next date the members of the House of Commons could conceivably revisit the debate on the extension of time and potentially avoid a “no-deal” scenario.

At this late stage, given the deep factions amongst opposing sides, the most prudent policy for the UK to implement would be to request the extension and for the EU to grant it.

This request would then be formally considered by the European Council at its next scheduled meeting on 21 March, requiring the unanimous consent of its 27 members. If granted, it would give all sides some breathing space and time to find a compromise that may hopefully avoid a future “no-deal”.

If an Article 50 extension is not invoked or requested, and a “no-deal” Brexit ensues on 29 March as feared, some level of blame should be apportioned to those who failed to heed the lessons learned from Greenland’s exit from the EEC.

Jason O’ Sullivan, is a Solicitor and Public Affairs Consultant at J.O.S Solicitors 

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
20 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John
    Favourite John
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:42 PM

    Why don’t the Gardaí have this capability rather than a volunteer organisation?

    80
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kinsaleable
    Favourite Kinsaleable
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:46 PM

    @John: they tried but someone mentioned GDPR and data protection.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Link
    Favourite Link
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 8:51 PM

    @John: During a missing person search, you’d be surprised how much is outsourced to voluntary organisations. Mainly due to the fact that they’re very labour intensive and it keeps Gardai free for their frontline roles, also the infrastructure that CD in particular have is top notch and allows for seamless intra-organisation communication.

    25
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roger Camp
    Favourite Roger Camp
    Report
    Nov 27th 2018, 7:48 PM

    @John: cos theyre too dim to pilot somoethig. Like these high powered things

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Carlin
    Favourite Liam Carlin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:19 PM

    You need a drone license?

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vocal Outrage
    Favourite Vocal Outrage
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:50 PM

    @Liam Carlin: yes, unless you are operating a drone of less than 1kg in Uncontrolled Airspace, below 400ft, in visual flight rules, line of sight, but not further than 300m away, and not over or within 30m of people or vehicles and within a flight area you can control, nor over urban areas. For everything else you need a license, its actualkt quite strict but many flout the rules.
    check out https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-regulations-guidance

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John P
    Favourite John P
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Vocal Outrage: where’s a good place to do training?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Conroy
    Favourite Alan Conroy
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 11:51 PM

    Paul Kehoe isn’t the defence minister, Leo is. Paul is a junior minister, very very junior.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:12 PM

    Couple of questions for ye folks.

    1. What’s the flight time on that type of drone?

    2. Anyone know the make & model of the car/jeep in the background?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Halpin
    Favourite Shane Halpin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:17 PM

    @Chief: the 4×4 is a land rover discovery, the drones we use are DJI inspire, Yuneec typhoon and DJI matrice drones, so all spec can be found on their websites

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:54 PM

    @Shane Halpin: thanks Shane. Reason I asked about the land rover was I did a reverse image search on the drone picture and Google came back with ford escape hybrid as the result. Though it was impressive seen as the image only shows a vehicle wheel. On the drones,, I had a phantom 1, 3 and 4 myself for a while max flight time about 24 minutes, looks like that one in the image after I looked it up does around 37.

    7
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Carolan
    Favourite John Carolan
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 7:14 PM

    @Chief: I’m guessing google picked up the outline of the landrover badge, it’s the same shape as the ford badge…

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Donovan
    Favourite Daniel Donovan
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 6:47 PM

    Another way to spy on us stupid sheep.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds