French fishermen will take action within a few days, including blocking road and sea transportation to the UK via Calais and other strait ports, as the months-long dispute over licenses to operate in British waters has intensified.
French media reported on Tuesday that as the negotiations between the two governments and the European Commission on post-Brexit fishing rights seem to have reached a deadlock, angry fishermen in the northern region France What steps to take will be decided on Thursday.
France stated that the United Kingdom unfairly rejected the permits of approximately 150 French ships, while the United Kingdom insisted that it had the right to request any evidence of its choice to prove that the French ships had a record of operating in British coastal waters.
Olivier Leprêtre, chairman of the organization representing the interests of fishermen in northern France, said that crews from ships from the Atlantic coast, the straits and the North Sea, from Brest to Dunkirk will participate.
There will be no large-scale blockade of French ports, Leprêtre said at a fishermen’s meeting In Boulogne-sur-Mer. “Our goal is more focused on exports, because we don’t want to harm the French economy,” he said. “We want to affect the British economy. We will do it right-we will do it.”
Leprêtre added: “The poor British already lack some products because Brexit, Unfortunately, they will lack more… Britain wants to enter the European market? They should give us a license. We have been waiting for 11 months. “
He stated that the purpose of these actions is to “insist that the European Commission takes its responsibilities seriously and ensure that the Brexit agreement is respected” and “warned Boris Johnson that his fishermen can enter the EU market, so we should enter British waters.”
The fishermen of Boulogne-sur-Mer told La Voix du Nord that the final details of the operation will be worked out on Thursday and the activity will start on Friday or Monday. “All cross-channel traffic and all freight [to the UK] Will be blocked,” a fisherman said.
French fishermen had previously settled their own problems in disputes. In April, they blocked trucks transporting fish from British waters to processing centers in France, and then blocked the Port of St Helier in Jersey in May.
French Maritime Minister Anneque Girardin and President Emmanuel Macron assured French fishermen that they would not be abandoned on Sunday. Macron personally spoke with Leprêtre over the phone for 15 minutes.
“He told me that under no circumstances would he let go of losing his permit, and he would never give up French fishermen,” Leprêtre said on Sunday. “I think the fact that he personally called me shows that he takes this very seriously.”
Giraldine also said that she would “continue to fight” with London. “We are fighting for these permits every day, and we will not give in. The British interpretation of our application is unacceptable, nor is it a fair response to France in good faith.”
Girardin said that about 80% of permit applications in France have been resolved. He had previously announced a budget of 40 to 60 million euros (34 million to 51 million pounds) for final compensation claims and to help those who want The fishermen who helped the fishermen aroused concerns about the government’s retreat. Leave the department to establish a new business.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also said on Sunday that the UK had “exaggerated and annoyingly faulted” the license and called on the EU to take “firm action” to ensure that the Brexit agreement is respected. European Minister Clément Beaune (Clément Beaune) held a meeting on the issue in Brussels on Monday.
