France Says It Will Fight For Every UK Fishing Licence As European Deadline Looms

12/09/2021

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Richard Lough | Reuters

PARIS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – A day ahead of a European deadline, France said it was still waiting for Britain to approve nearly 100 licences for its fishermen to operate in UK territorial waters and off Jersey and that last-gasp negotiations were ongoing.

Fishing rights plagued Brexit talks for years and continue to poison relations between Britain and France, not because of their economic importance but because of their political resonance for both sides.

Britain and the EU agreed to set up a licensing system to grant fishing vessels access to each other’s waters when Britain left the bloc. But France says it has not been given the full number it is due, while Britain says only those lacking the correct documentation have not been granted.

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