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France plans to request the EU to initiate “procedures” if the ongoing dispute over fishing permits is not resolved.
The European Commission said the dispute must be resolved by 10 December, but Downing Street was unaware of the deadline on Thursday, which could further fuel tensions between nations.
This column encloses licenses for fishing in the waters of the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands, subject to the terms of the Trade Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which is a trade agreement with the EU after Brexit.
The main cause of the controversy is the number of small French vessels licensed to fish in the waters around the UK coast, which can prove that they were operating there before Britain left the EU.
France claims that the UK government has allowed the overwhelming majority of applications, while the UK has not given enough licenses to fishermen.
France’s sea minister, Annick Girardin, called on a partnership council meeting to oversee the implementation of the Brexit agreement on Thursday if the deadlock continued by Friday night, saying, “Britain did not respect the signature. Keep in mind. “
“If that is not satisfactory, I ask the European Commission to initiate the proceedings,” Girardin told the Senate.
She said the procedure could take “months”, but “France never waives that right.”
“No one should stay in the dock,” she said.
The UK has issued 1,004 licenses, but 94 licenses are still pending, according to Girardin.
The British government has previously stated that it has licensed “about 1,700 EU vessels to catch in our waters.”
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron accused the British government of failing to keep its promise to fish licenses, but said France would like to work with London.
At a press conference on Thursday, he said, “Currently,” to come up with plans for France’s next EU Presidency. [British] The government doesn’t do what it says. “
Macron said, “[The British government] We have signed a withdrawal agreement requesting our commitment to fishermen.
“Tomorrow we will work with the European Commission to see if these agreements are not respected.
“We have made progress in the last few weeks. I would like to pay tribute. We have a sincere re-engagement and sincerely hope for a new path. [for the] TCA [Trade and Co-operation Agreement] Open it, please. “
France’s European Minister Clément Beaune said on December 1 that the conflict was not a problem between France and Britain, but a problem between the EU as a whole and Britain.
He urged the EU to take retaliation against Britain if it missed the December 10 deadline.
There was no 10 that the UK said on Thursday that it had “never set a deadline,” and the EU cutoff point was “not what we are working on.”
An official spokesman for the Prime Minister said: Rather than setting a deadline, an evidence-based technical process is still underway.
“We have never set a deadline. We are aware that we have set it ourselves, but we are not working on it.”
Administrator of the Environment George Eustice was expected to meet further with EU Environment Commissioner Virginius Sinkevisius on Friday.
In his comment on Thursday, a spokesman for the Prime Minister added:
“All discussions on this issue were constructive.”
Beaune traded French disciplinary measures on December 1, including banning British trawlers from landing catches in French ports and strengthening customs inspections to prevent cross-channel trade. “Stays at the table” even if is not true.
He told the French radio network RTL: .. “
Regarding the possibility of a ban by the French, Beaune said:
“All the options are in the table because it’s better to have a dialogue, but … if that doesn’t bear fruit, you can take European steps.”
This is not the first time Britain has faced potential disciplinary action regarding conflict, but previously France threatened to act alone rather than alongside other EU member states.
Paris warned that British boats could be blocked from landing catches in French ports and that customs inspections could be strengthened from midnight on November 2.
However, Macron retreated in the 11th hour and said he had to continue negotiations.
Since then, French fishermen have blocked the Channel Tunnel and major ports in protest.
The controversy is against the backdrop of tensions between Britain and France, which were recently inflamed by 27 dead who tried to cross the strait in November.
In a fierce feud, Macron was reported to have named Prime Minister Boris Johnson “Clown” and “Knucklehead.”
A government spokesperson said:
“Our approach to fisheries licensing is evidence-based and fully compliant with the Trade Cooperation Agreement (TCA). In total, approximately 1,700 EU vessels are allowed to fish in our waters. If the vessel provides the necessary evidence, we will issue a license and will continue to do so. “
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