The EU deadline for the UK to issue licenses to dozens of French fishing boats after Brexit has passed, but an agreement has not yet been announced.
Someone hinted on Friday that a breakthrough in the negotiation of French boat fishing permits in British waters may be achieved, but sources said that the British government is not expected to announce any news as the midnight deadline comes and goes.
France had threatened to push European Union If there are no “signs of good faith” in time before the Friday deadline set by Brussels, legal action and trade restrictions will be taken against the UK.
The European Commission has stated that the dispute is expected to be resolved before midnight.
The main source of contention is the number of permits for small French vessels to fish in the waters off the British coastline, which can prove that they were operating there before Brexit.
France stated that its 104 ships still lacked permits to operate in the waters of the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, which should have been obtained in accordance with the Brexit agreement signed by the United Kingdom and the European Union in December last year.
Britain earlier denied discriminating against French ships and stated that many ships were unable to provide the paperwork needed to obtain licenses.
“This is a technical process based on evidence rather than deadlines,” said a spokesperson for the British government.
But France’s European Minister Clément Beaune believed that Britain might “provide dozens more [licences] As a gesture of goodwill,” this means that negotiations can continue, and the European Commission expressed the hope that a breakthrough will be made later on Friday.
“If they insist on their position, then we will ask the European Commission to start a legal complaint,” Bohn told Franceinfo Radio on Friday.
“Legal procedures not only involve documents and courts, but also include some measures, such as customs measures. Europe can collectively take in certain areas to tell the British,’Because you do not comply with the agreement, some of your products will not be recognized’.”
The Secretary of State for the Environment, George Eustice, held talks with the European Commissioner for Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius on Friday.
A British spokesperson said: “The intensive technical discussions in recent days have been constructive, but no conclusion has been reached yet.”
“Our position remains that the vessel must provide sufficient evidence of historical fishing activities to obtain a permit.”
Brussels has stated that the dispute must be resolved by December 10, but Downing Street said on Thursday that it does not recognize the demarcation point.
“We never set deadlines. I recognize them [the EU] A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that they have set one themselves, but this is not the one we are working on.
Bohn said the British government’s comments were “surprising,” adding: “This is not a sign of true trust.”
France and the United Kingdom have clashed repeatedly this year over fishing and immigration across the strait, trade arrangements after Brexit, and the sale of submarines to Australia.
“The problem with the British government is that it did not do what it said,” French President Emmanuel Macron said On Thursday, London was accused of failing to comply with Brexit and fishing license promises.
With Press Association and Agence France-Presse
