An Independent Legal Opinion on How Designated Special Status for Northern Ireland Within the EU Can be Delivered was commissioned by the GUE/NGL group and launched on 18/10/2017.

The report explains that special status for the north of Ireland within the EU is legally possible within the context of Brexit and sets out several precedents across Europe where states or parts of states have secured unique and special arrangements with the EU. 

In terms of solutions proposed, the legal analysis highlights that the British government has so far failed to come forward with any credible or workable proposals and that a political, rather than technical, solution will need to be negotiated between the EU, the British Government and the Irish Government on the type and model of specials status.

The report is available here

A summary of the report is here

Click here for a presentation on the findings

Photos of the launch are available here.