Post-Brexit fishing: France calls for a “quick solution”

Published on : 11/09/2021 – 13:07

The French Secretary of State, Clément Beaune, announced on Tuesday 9 November that he had met again in the morning with the British Minister responsible for Brexit, David Frost, while Paris and London are in conflict over fishing licenses granted to Europeans after Brexit.

“France remains open to dialogue, but a quick solution must be found for our fishermen, in application of our agreements”, declared the French minister, via his Twitter account.

“Important differences” remain between London and Paris on the question of fishing, estimated last week Clément Beaune, while the threats of sanctions brandished by France seemed to be receding the time of new discussions with the United Kingdom.

France threatened, in particular, to ban British fishing vessels from unloading their cargoes in French ports and to tighten customs controls on all trucks if London did not grant more licenses to French fishermen.

Under the Brexit deal, European fishermen can continue to work in certain UK waters provided they can prove that they previously fished there. But the French and the British argue over the nature and extent of the supporting documents to be provided. Paris says 200 license applications for French boats are overdue, a figure London disputes.

With AFP and Reuters