Source: CCTV news client
In recent days, the fishing dispute between France and the United Kingdom has continued to escalate. France accused Britain of rejecting a large number of fishing applications from French fishermen and introduced retaliatory measures against Britain. Subsequently, France also punished two British fishing boats, one of which was seized, causing strong british resentment.
On the 29th, the British Foreign Office summoned the French ambassador to the United Kingdom. The British government warned that if France continued to threaten, Britain would "accompany it to the end" and take countermeasures.
On the 29th local time, the British fishing boat seized in the port of Le Havre in France has not been released. French prosecutors said the boat's captain was formally indicted on the same day and that he would attend a hearing next August on charges of "fishing in French waters without permission," at which point he could face fines and administrative penalties of up to 75,000 euros, or about 555,000 yuan.
France also announced on november 27 that by November 2, if the issue of Fishing Applications by French fishermen remains unresolved, It will ban British fishing boats from unloading cargo at some French ports and strengthen inspections of British vessels and trucks traveling to and from Britain.
Britain said France's threat to Britain was "disappointing and unbalanced in scale." The British Foreign Office summoned French Ambassador Catherine Colonna on the 29th and asked France to provide an explanation. The British government has also warned that if France insists on these retaliatory measures, the United Kingdom will open a trade dispute settlement process and impose more inspections on FISHing vessels in EU countries as a countermeasure.
British Environment Minister Eustis called on France to remain calm and withdraw these "unacceptable threats" in an interview on the 29th.
Eustis, British Environment Secretary: If France does take the retaliatory measures they plan, then you can do it, I can do it, and The UK has the ability to respond to it in an appropriate way.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly meet at a G20 summit in Rome, Italy, this weekend.
Johnson told reporters before going to Rome on the 29th, "We will definitely safeguard the interests of the United Kingdom." Macron said France neither wanted to provoke nor make the situation more tense, but Britain's credibility was questioned on issues such as fishing.
News link: The after-effects of "Brexit" highlight the fallout between France and Britain over fishing rights
Fishing rights were once one of the thorniest issues in the Brexit negotiations, and although the UK and the EU have since reached an agreement, the recent French-British fisheries dispute shows that this issue has clearly not been properly resolved. This time, France has taken retaliatory measures one after another, and the United Kingdom will not give in easily due to domestic and foreign political considerations, and the dispute between the two sides continues to escalate.
Under the Uk's "Brexit" agreement, from January 1 this year, fishermen from EU countries will be able to obtain fishing permits to enter British waters to fish, provided that they can prove that they have previously fished in the waters. The strict review of these application documents by the relevant Departments in the United Kingdom led to a large number of rejections, which triggered dissatisfaction in France. A French government spokesman has noted that although French fishermen have submitted documents at the request of the British government, nearly half of the applications for fishing permits have not been approved.
French media quoted data released by the French Ministry of Oceanography at the end of September as saying that of the 175 applications for fishing permits submitted by French fishermen to the British government, 75 applications have not yet been approved; of the 211 applications submitted to British Jersey, 105 have not yet been approved; and British Guernsey has only issued 64 temporary fishing permits to French fishing vessels.
Emerick Herr, head of the Fisheries Association of the Port of Boulogne in France: The UK's decision to leave the European Union certainly has consequences, but the agreement must be respected. Hopefully, the problem will be solved, fishing permits can be issued, holidays will be taken soon, and business will resume.
British fishermen are highly dependent on French ports as gateways to the European continent, and France wants to put pressure on Britain by banning British fishing boats from unloading goods in France and slowing customs clearance with enhanced inspections. However, the analysis points out that although the proportion of fisheries in the British economy is negligible, it is difficult for the British government to make concessions due to domestic political considerations.
British fisherman Neil Whitney: We have a dispute with France that has been happening frequently in the last three or four years. Scallop fishing boats kept trying, and the French retaliated by throwing things at us or confiscating the boats. I voted for Brexit in hopes of getting back 12 miles of fishing rights, and that's what they assured us at the time.
In addition to the fisheries problem, other "Brexit" sequelae caused by structural problems between the UK and the EU are gradually emerging. There has been friction between the UK and the EU in areas such as COVID-19 vaccines and financial services, and the contradictions between the two sides over trade issues in Northern Ireland will continue. The British government also hopes to use the fisheries issue to show toughness to the EU and avoid being passive in other post-Brexit disputes in the future.