Further Information

Title: One State, Two Systems: A legal framework for Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade regime

Research project:

The aim of the research is to explore the unique place of Northern Ireland (NI) in the context of the United Kingdom’s (UK) and the European Union’s (EU) post-Brexit internal markets and external trade policies.  

As part of the Brexit negotiations, the EU and the UK have proposed a Protocol whereby NI will be subject to a specific trading regime with the EU. While the precise legal contours of this agreement have not been defined, this arrangement would de-facto leave NI within the EU customs territory and, in so doing, complicate its place within future UK trade policy.   

This gives rise to a series of questions about NI’s trade relations with Great Britain and the rest of the world, seemingly positioning it somewhere between EU and UK trade policy.  

The research project would be to explore the legal implications of Northern Ireland’s hybrid status within both the EU and UK internal markets and external trade policies: From an EU-NI trade perspective, research questions include: What cooperative frameworks can be envisaged to ensure that NI is subject to the EU acquis communautaire and able to influence EU decision-making? What is NI’s potential status with respect to EU’s external trade policy? Will NI benefit from preferential treatment negotiated under EU FTAs? From a UK trade policy perspective, research questions include: Are there mechanisms available under international trade law that could be used to ensure frictionless trade between NI and Great Britain? What are the areas of policy overlap between future UK trade agreements and matters falling under the competence of NI? What mechanisms can be envisaged to ensure that NI has a meaningful role in shaping future UK trade agreements?

Funding Towards

Living Costs / Stipend, Tuition Fees

Funding Body

Department for the Economy (DfE)

Funding Amount

The funded studentship will be £21,000 per year to cover tuition fees and maintenance costs.

Number of Awards

1

Funding Body

Department for the Economy (DfE)

Terms and Conditions

Eligibility

• UK residents: fees plus maintenance. 
• Other EU residents: fees only. 
• Study can only be undertaken on a full-time basis.

• An Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in law or another relevant discipline, plus a Master's degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) with an average above 60%.

• Applicants with an Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in law or another relevant discipline who are currently studying a Master’s degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) will also be considered.

• Applicants with an Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in law or another relevant discipline plus evidence of ability to conduct independent and original research will be considered on a case by case basis.

  Please note this studentship is not available to international students.

  For further details re eligibility criteria (including academic, citizenship and residency criteria) please click on the DEL Research Eligibility Guidance Notes.

Funding Type

Fee Status

EU, NI, ROI, GB

Country Group

EU, NI, ROI, GB

Study Level

Postgraduate Research

Start Date

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 09:00:00 BST

Close Date

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Contact Us

For more information please contact:

Dr Billy Melo Araujo b.melo-araujo@qub.ac.uk

How to Apply

To apply, please complete an application form on the Queen’s University Postgraduate Applications Portal https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php including a curriculum vitae (CV) and a research proposal of 1,000 words.