France reiterates threat of retaliation to UK over fisheries crisis
French Maritime Minister Annick Girardin stated that if the fisheries crisis is not resolved by 10 December, they will implement retaliatory measures against the UK.
Girardin told the newspaper Ouest France that Britain “still has not” issued licenses to 154 French fishermen to fish in British territorial waters.
Accusing the UK of “testing the solidarity” of the European Union (EU), Girardin stated that they will try to solve the problem with the UK until 10 December.
Girardin noted that if the London administration does not grant licenses to French fishermen by this date, the EU will do what is necessary, take legal action and implement retaliatory measures.
France’s Minister of State for EU Affairs, Clement Beaune, said in a statement on 29 November that France and the EU would continue negotiations with the UK until 10 December to resolve this issue. Beaune had announced that they would stop the negotiations if no solution was found by this date.
The dispute between France and England on fishing rights and quotas, which has been going on for about 11 months, has grown as the leaders of both countries hardened their rhetoric.
Beaune said in a statement on October 4 that they would implement the retaliatory measures they had planned if there was no solution to the fisheries crisis in the talks with the UK.
The Paris administration had threatened to systematically control customs imported goods from England into France, ban the import of seafood, and deny British ships access to all but a few ports in the country.
fishing problem
A consensus was reached in the negotiations between the EU and the UK on the determination of fishing quotas in 2021, but especially French fishermen could not operate in the determined regions.
The administration of the British island of Jersey had asked French fishing boats, who wanted to continue fishing in their territorial waters, to provide evidence of their past activities. This situation caused tension between England and France.
Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, has 95 percent of its electricity supplied by France, which is about 14 miles away.
The island, which has a unique administration and a representative of the Queen, is represented by England in the international arena.
