Fishing row: UK welcomes Macron stepping back from Brexit boat threat
The UK this morning welcomed France having “stepped back” from threats to impose punitive action in a dispute over post-Brexit fishing licences as talks to settle the row continue.
Environment secretary George Eustice acknowledged a de-escalation from French president Emmanuel Macron as he held off on the action against British boats that he had warned could have been implemented today.
Eusticer said a meeting between Brexit minister Lord Frost and France’s Europe minister Clement Beaune in Paris on Thursday would be “very important” in settling rows between the UK and the bloc.
In another de-escalation, Eustice suggested that a UK vessel impounded during the diplomatic storm because of an “administrative confusion” has now been released by France.
Macron had warned that Paris could block British boats from landing their catches in French ports and tighten customs checks from midnight in protest at what they claim is a refusal by the UK authorities to grant licences to French boats.
But France suspended the threats at the eleventh hour as negotiations continue.
Eustice told Sky News: “We welcome the fact France has stepped back from the threats it was making last Wednesday.
“We’ve always said we want to de-escalate this and always said we have an ever open door to discuss any further evidence France or the EU might have on any additional vessels they’d like to have licensed.
“France has clearly taken a decision not to implement some of the decisions they threatened last Wednesday, we very much welcome that, but I think there’s going to be a very important meeting on Thursday between Lord Frost and his opposite number, not just on fisheries but a wider range of issues as well.”
The Scottish-registered scallop dredger, the Cornelis Gert Jan, which was caught up in the diplomatic row was believed to have been released.