The former Brexit negotiator for the EU, Michel Barnier, pointed to the “
political flibustery
” of the British, accused of not applying the compromise on fishing, after a meeting Friday in Boulogne-sur-Mer with fishermen denouncing the increased competition from Dutch ships.
On fishing as on the Irish question, "
we see that the British are now trying to take back part of the compromise they concluded with us, this is not acceptable,
" lamented to
AFP
Michel Barnier.
Read also Michel Barnier: "Why we need a moratorium on immigration"
"
They refuse to give licenses to boats which have the right to fish under our agreement
", he added, seeing a "
form of political flibustery in this attitude
".
"
If the licenses are not given, this can create a very serious bilateral problem between France and the United Kingdom and also between the European Union and the United Kingdom
", warned the one who is also cited as a possible candidate for the presidential election on the right.
Dutch fishermen accused of ransacking French facilities
Fishermen from Boulogne-sur-Mer, the leading French fishing port and the leading European seafood processing center, have been denouncing for months "
the invasion of the Dutch industrial fleet
", which they accuse of overexploiting the resources of
the sea.
the English Channel. A situation they have denounced for 10 years but worsened according to them by Brexit. Thursday evening, Olivier Leprêtre, president of the regional fisheries committee of Hauts-de-France, accused AFP of Dutch vessels of having snatched 600 traps from a French bullotier on Monday and promised new actions to ban the Dutch access to the port of Boulogne.
Fishing was the hardest part of the negotiation of the post-Brexit trade agreement concluded at the end of December between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
The catches of EU fishermen in UK waters amount to € 650 million each year.
The compromise reached is a source of tension: European fleets will have to give up 25% of their catches in British waters at the end of a transition period running until June 2026.
To read also Michel Barnier: "I will be there"
The post-Brexit deal also includes an obligation for European fishermen to obtain licenses from London to fish in British waters. "
The fact that we fish less in British waters causes a redistribution of fishing capacity
," said Barnier, when asked about the tensions between French and Dutch fishermen. "
The French authorities must submit this question to Brussels, within the framework of the common fisheries policy,
" he said.