The EU was very much involved in the GFA talks. Although not a direct participant, it was a present observer and facilitator throughout - and of course the fact that both state parties were EU members helped lubricate the process.
Much of the confusion over the border issue arises from confusion between a 'people' border (passports/immigration) and a goods border (customs). Different rules apply to each.
All EU states belong to a customs union, which is integral to the EU treaties. There was therefore already an open customs border between the Republic and Northern Ireland at the time of the GFA, and customs didn't need to be addressed in the agreement.
The 'people' border is a different matter. There is no EU requirement for passport-free travel between EU states. Only a certain groupf of EU countries (the 'Schengen' group) have mutual passport-free borders, but this is not mandated in the EU treaties. Neither the UK nor the Republic of Ireland are Schengen members. The open people border between Northern Ireland and the south is therefore a bilateral agreement between the two states, not directly relevant to their EU membership.
The problem created by Brexit therefore relates entirely to the customs border. There is no reason why the bilateral open 'people' border should not be retained - indeed the EU has consistently supported the insistence of the Republic of Ireland that it should be retained. But if the UK leaves the EU it ipso facto leaves the customs union and a customs border follows. None of the parties - the UK, the EU, the people either side of the border - want this.
Trying to square this circle has led to the impasse over the 'Irish backstop'.
Thank you Winniesboy.
How is the mood now for you in the UK?
Most of the people I know from Brighton, London, the home counties and Liverpool are just fed up. Leavers, remainers, the common moods are: fed up and angry. different people are angry at different things.
I really think, in my opinion, that a hard Brexit should happen - to prevent Brexit is really sweeping the monster under the carpet - to have anything other than a hard Brexit leaves people to blame everything but themselves
What is your opinion?