The Press Stories
The “gesture of good faith” demanded by Paris from London did not satisfy the fishermen. The United Kingdom “alone” granted 23 additional licenses to French fishermen, while Paris demanded 104. Jean-Luc Hall, director general of the National Fisheries Commission on Europe 1’s microphone, described the figure as “not enough”.
“Violated” fishermen
“We’re far from the mark,” he apologized. “We have found 103 companies relying on British waters. We are only going to provide a quarter of them, so there is no accounting. But we do not want to give up. The Commission has pointed out that this is going to be the case. What do we want? I do not know whether to take it or not, “he warned.
Measures against imports of British goods
Jonathan, a fisherman in Boulogne-sur-Mer, already says he is “ready to fight” for licenses. “My brother has nothing, my mom’s boat,” he says confidently on Europe 1’s microphone. Hauts-de-France fishermen have also been declared “neglected” and have announced measures against imports of British goods by the European Commission. These experts are “surprised that the principles of social policy fit, power and respect are at least uncertain in the high spheres of Brussels,” writes Hauts-de-France Regional Committee on Marine Fisheries and Marine Agriculture (CRPMEM). In a press release.
Negotiations “must continue”
“Movements are expected (…), movements aimed at imports of British products” and “in line with the siege of the northern ports of Breton, Norman and France on 26 November”, they warn again. On that day, fishermen laid siege to the ports of Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine), Calais (Pas-de-Calais) or Ouistreham (Calvados). They blocked access to the channel tunnel for about two hours.
For the French authorities, negotiations should continue to achieve the objective of 1,027 licenses. London, for its part, hopes the new move will put an end to intense negotiations in recent weeks. This topic will be at the center of the Council of Europe, which unites the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries today and tomorrow.
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