Brexit: UK says France will break international law if it bans British seafood
The UK has said France’s decision to ban British seafood exports and clamp down on cross-Channel trade next week will break international law and the post-Brexit trade deal.
Environment secretary George Eustice said this morning that if France carries out its threats that it “will be met with an appropriate and calibrated response” as the row over fishing licences continues to escalate.
Emmanuel Macron’s government yesterday said it would block British seafood and erect a number of trade barriers on Tuesday if the UK does not quickly grant more licences for French fishermen.
Macron’s government has also threatened to turn off power to the Channel Islands later this year, while French authorities also detained a Scottish fishing boat today for not having the proper paperwork.
Paris claims that it is owed hundreds more licences to allow French fishing boats to operate off the coast of the UK.
However, Eustice said any delay was because of French fishermen not providing the necessary paperwork needed to process new licences.
“It is very disappointing to see the comments that came from France yesterday,” he said.
“We believe these are disappointing and disproportionate and not what you expect from a close ally and partner.
“The measures being threatened do not appear to be compatible with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or wider international law. If carried through they will be met with an appropriate and calibrated response.”
It is unclear if France is able to carry through with its threats without the permission of the EU.
France claims the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement gave its fishermen the right to 175 licences to work between six and 12 nautical miles off the coast of mainland Britain, but the UK has only handed out 103 this year.
The French government also says it has the right to 216 licences to fish off the coast of Jersey, but that it has only been given 105.
Under the terms of the post-Brexit trade deal, EU fishing vessels have to show they have a “track record” of operating in British waters to get a renewed licence.
Eustice said French fishermen have been given every opportunity to provide data that proves they have historically fished in British waters.
Macron spokesperson Gabriel Attal yesterday said France would bring in “systematic customs and sanitary inspections on imported products arriving in Channel ports, a ban on disembarking seafood products as well and checks on lorries” along with the seafood ban next Tuesday.
“Things are clear and we have said that we won’t let the British wipe their feet on the Brexit agreement,” Attal said.
“In concrete terms the government has established a list of licences to which we have the right. We have been working with the British and we have given them all the data, all the documents, all the information they request in support of these applications.
“What we see today is that 50 per cent of the licences to which we have the right are missing. This is a situation that is not acceptable and I say clear that our patience has run out.”