Prior to Brexit, a substantial portion of Iberian goods destined for the UK relied on the "land-bridge" route. Trucks traveled from Spain through Irun, drove across France to Calais, and crossed the English Channel via ferry or the Eurotunnel.
Brexit forced a redefinition of UK-Ireland relations. The solution — keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s goods regulatory orbit while politically part of the UK — is unprecedented. It has held so far but remains politically fragile. The Irish border issue shows how a regional concern can dominate an entire national withdrawal process. brexit irun