Post-Brexit fishing: Meeting between France and the United Kingdom in Paris before possible sanctions

British Foreign Secretary for Brexit David Frost met with French Foreign Secretary Clement Fionn in Paris on Thursday.

The AFP was not notified of the meeting, which took place outside the media. Peon’s entourage mentions. But French government spokesman Gabriel Attal confirmed to the press that, without further details, the fishing dispute would be on the agenda.

Paris and London are in dispute over fishing licenses issued to Europeans after Brexit.

France has threatened to ban British fishing vessels from unloading their cargo into French ports and tighten customs control on all trucks if London does not issue additional licenses to French fishermen. She suspended the final warning while waiting for the Paris meeting.

On the sidelines of COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Emmanuel Macron argued with reporters that “we are not negotiating sanctions.” “The next few hours are important,” the French president promised.

“We have received the first signals from the British authorities to expedite trade. Responses to the latest plans of the French authorities are expected between now and Wednesday, ”the French president said on Monday.

– “In-depth discussions” –

The British government, for its part, “welcomed” the postponement of sanctions, and “welcomed France’s recognition that in-depth discussions are necessary to resolve all issues in the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.”

Under the Brexit agreement, European fishermen could continue to work in certain UK waters if they could prove that they had previously fished. But the French and the English argue over the nature and quantity of the supporting documents to be provided.

A quarter of the French catches (about 20% of the value) come from British waters, which are very rich in fish and account for 650 million euros in annual sales of European fishermen.

Discussions on the matter took place in Brussels on Wednesday between the United Kingdom and the European Commission, during which the critical point of the alternative vessels was discussed for the first time, namely that the new French fishing boats have taken the old place. European proof.

The British, who refused to take them into account, appeared to have softened their position, but they told the AFP they had to guarantee that their catches would not be greater than the boats they had converted.

European sources said a point should be made Wednesday evening at the European level “before the Frost-Peon meeting on Thursday”, while highlighting the “problem of trust” between the parties. “The debate is progressing, but there is no progress,” he added.

The Scottish trawler Cornelis Gert John left the port of Le Havre in the afternoon as he remained motionless for more than two tonnes of fishing without a license in France for a week.