Cross-Border Cooperation and Trade in Post-Brexit Northern Ireland

The border between Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) and the Republic of Ireland (an EU member) has been one of the most contested issues throughout the Brexit process. The possibility of reintroducing border checkpoints has reignited fears of sectarian conflict in the border region and presented serious obstacles to cross-border cooperation between Ireland, the UK, and the EU. This research provides a historical and institutional background on the border and the Good Friday Agreement, which was put in place in 1998 to bring peace to Northern Ireland and the border region. Explanations of the effects of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement and cross-border cooperation are also examined, as well as current barriers to Brexit negotiations -- cross-border cooperation, trade and, customs agreements -- through a comparative study between the Irish border and the Swedish-Norwegian border. The likely conclusions drawn from this research will outline the problems to be faced throughout remaining Brexit negotiations and provide possible solutions and scenarios of trade regulation for the Irish border. This study relates to “Understanding and Optimizing Borders” as it seeks to provide a deeper understanding of logistical, economical, political, and trade issues associated with the Irish border, which are currently some of the most difficult issues to confront in world politics