UK France fishing dispute a Brexit fallout drama

The United Kingdom and France have gotten into a rare and bitter diplomatic row. The two countries have been at odds over post Brexit fishing rights in British territorial waters.

The UK gives out licenses to foreign vessels wishing to fish in its waters. But Paris says some fishing boats have been denied permission to enter areas they have fished in for years.

London says the licenses have been distributed according to the post Brexit deal it reached with the European Union last December.

UK and France set back from the brink, for now

The United Kingdom and France have been involved in a bitter fishing row, a rare dispute between two Western allies. France has postponed sanctions on Britain, so that they can negotiate in order to diffuse tensions and figure out a solution.

The dispute escalated to the point where a British trawler was seized by French officials, prompting the UK to summon Paris's ambassador in London, a move that is usually made against enemies and not allies.

Paris threatened London with sanctions should the issue not be resolved by the end of November. In response the UK Foreign Secretary launched a counter attack against France, vowing legal action if Paris did not back down.

Well, France has made completely unacceptable threats, first of all to our fishermen but also to the Channel Islands in terms of their energy supply, and we need them to withdraw those threats.

If they don't withdraw those threats, we are prepared to use the dispute resolution mechanism in the trade deal we signed the EU to take action against the French.

Liz Truss, British Foreign Minister

UK, France at war over post-Brexit fishing rights

A fishing dispute between the UK and France has headed into choppy waters, with both sides blaming the other of violating post-Brexit fishing rights.

It is unclear, it's always unclear as to who's correct or incorrect, but usually they are resolved in a peaceful diplomatic manner. But we live in an age of a growing nationalism, in which international institutions are breaking down. And so as a result, a minor spat over fishing rights is turning into a major international crisis.

Daniel Lazare, Journalist

Britain’s position on fishing row with France unchanged: Johnson

Britain’s prime minister says the UK’s position on a row with France over fishing rights remains unchanged.

The threats have raised concerns about a larger trade dispute between two of Europe's largest economies.

The fishing issue was one of the key points lengthening the Brexit talks. Although fishing constitutes a small portion of France and Britain's economies, it holds substantial political significance as it is the main lifeline for the coastal communities.

Apart from the fishing disputes, the two countries have recently clashed over the AUKUS agreement under which Australia ditched a multibillion dollar submarine deal with France for a similar one with the US and the UK.

The French were appalled, extremely angry by America's peremptory behavior and they are looking for a way of striking back, and Boris Johnson didn't make things any better by taunting the French ...  when the AUKUS Alliance became news, by taunting them in the crudest schoolboy manner.

Daniel Lazare, Journalist

Britain warns France: Back down in 48 hours or face trade trouble

The UK warned France on Monday to back down in a fish row within 48 hours or face legal action under the Brexit trade deal.

Britain's departure from the EU has also negatively impacted its economy. Official data predicts a 4% economic slowdown for the country in the long term, in the aftermath of its exit from the bloc, while the COVID-19 impact is estimated to cut Britain's Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 2%.

Brexit has also cast doubts on the future of the 1998 Irish peace deal, as it would mean a hard border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU.

UK and EU ‘still far apart’ over Northern Ireland deal

The United Kingdom and the European Union remain “far apart” on crucial issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Although the two sides settled the issue, the agreement that has been implemented since January this year has led to the disruption of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, causing disagreements between London and Brussels.

Experts believe the long lines and brawls at the fuel stations across Britain are going to be everyday occurrences in post-Brexit UK.

Impact of Brexit on UK economy 'worse than Covid': OBR

The impact of Brexit on the UK economy will be worse in the long run compared to the Covid pandemic, according to the chairman of the UK fiscal watchdog.

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