Post-Brexit fishing: London plans to strengthen controls on European boats

Published on : 10/29/2021 – 5:48 PM

While the standoff continues between Paris and London over fishing authorizations, the British government threatened, Friday, October 29, to put in place reinforced controls targeting European boats.

The UK government “plans to launch a dispute resolution process under the post-Brexit trade deal” and, among other measures, “the implementation of stringent controls over EU fishing activity in the waters territories of the United Kingdom, “a spokesman for the British government said in a statement.

Paris and London accuse each other of being in breach of the post-Brexit trade agreement reached at the end of 2020, around fishing licenses in British waters. Criticizing the United Kingdom for granting too few fishing authorizations to tricolor boats, France threatened to launch retaliatory measures, strengthening controls and banning British boats from landing in French ports on Tuesday, November 2.

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron is due to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the G20 on Saturday October 30 in Rome, according to Downing Street. The Ambassador of France in London, Catherine Colonna, was convened on Friday afternoon by the British Secretary of State for Europe Wendy Morton.

Differences over Northern Ireland

The warning issued by London on Friday was made by UK Secretary of State for Brexit David Frost to European Commission Vice President Maros Sefkovic. The two men met in London on Friday to take stock of the progress of discussions around another hot topic between London and Brussels, the protocol on post-Brexit customs arrangements specific to Northern Ireland, which remains de facto in the European single market and customs union.

According to the spokesman for the British government, while the discussions this week were held in a “constructive spirit”, “important” differences remain, in particular as to the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union for the settlement of the disputes. The talks are to continue from Monday in Brussels.

With AFP