Speaking after a meeting with Nordic countries in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly stated that the remaining 27 EU countries want to find a "practical solution" and avoid disclosing a carefully mediated Brexit deal agreed upon with the British government last year.
Merkel stated however that any alternative solution was a question for the political declaration, accompanying the deal, and ruled out reopening the withdrawal agreement, according to Sky News.
Prior to that, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk that the provision to avoid a hard Irish border was "unviable" and asked for it to be scrapped from the Brexit deal.
The contentious provision will have Northern Ireland aligned to the EU internal market rules, effectively binding the entire United Kingdom to its customs union. The country is set to leave the bloc on 31 October.
The issue of Northern Ireland remains a thorny one in the Brexit process. The main challenge for London is to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland while, at the same time, securing the nation’s integrity.