Macron sets a 24-hour deadline for a trade war if the UK does not give up fishing

President Emmanuel Macron warned that if the UK did not succumb to French Brexit fishing permit requirements within 24 hours, France would continue to make threats in the style of the Channel Trade War.

Despite initial reports on Sunday showing that the UK and France have agreed to reduce tensions, both sides do not appear to intend to withdraw now.

France has threatened cut off energy supplies on the island of Jersey, block British fishing boats from French ports and increase import checks on British ships and trucks if Boris Johnson did not grant French trawlers even more permits to fish in British waters.

The United Kingdom, on the other hand, argued that the vessels in question had not proved the history of fishing in the pre-Brexit region and therefore did not have the right to access profitable fisheries.

Macron talking to reporters in Rome he said per Times: “The ball is on the British court,” he added, adding that “if the British do not move, they will have to take action on 2 November.”

Mr Johnson, who suggested that if the French took such measures, the entire European Union would be in breach of the Brexit agreement, said: “With regard to fish, I must tell you that the position is unchanged.”

Tensions have already escalated last week after a leaked letter to French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the British should be punished for Brexit and told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that he should be Britain’s exit from the EU “more harmful than the rest”.

Johnson commented on the letter in Rome: “I must say that I was confused when I read the letter from the French Prime Minister, in which he explicitly demanded that Great Britain be punished for leaving the EU.

“I have to tell everyone that I don’t believe this is in line with the spirit or letter of the exit agreement or the trade and cooperation agreement, and that’s probably all I’m going to say about it,” he added. weak.

A letter from the French Prime Minister was also taken as confirmation long-held beliefs among some in the British government that the European Union is not negotiating in “good faith” over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Agreement on Ulster (Northern Ireland) – an integral part of the United Kingdom – provided for the establishment of border controls on goods between the British province and the rest of the United Kingdom, which are largely managed by the EU.

The inspections disrupted intra-UK trade, which led to it lack of food in violent protests.

British Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost, wrote on social media, to hope that the view that the United Kingdom should be punished for Brexit, shared in the French letter, “is not widespread across the EU” and that the United Kingdom may be forced to take legal action under the Brexit agreement. .

“Expressing this in this way is obviously very worrying and very problematic in the current context as we try to resolve a number of very sensitive issues, including the Northern Ireland Protocol,” Lord Frost added.

In addition to threats from the French, there was a British fishing vessel reserved in front of the French fishing port city of Le Havre on Wednesday in an apparent retaliatory attack on the UK. The French courts have demanded that the trawler pay a security of £ 125,000 for the release.

Since Monday is a public holiday in France, the ship is likely to be stuck in port at least until Tuesday. Vessel crew member said the Mail on Sunday: “We were told we weren’t going this weekend. We just want to get out of here. “

The French have accused the trawler, owned by Scottish Macduff Shellfish, of not having a valid license due to boat engine upgrades. The British company has denied any violations, but the captain faces a fine of up to € 75,000 (£ 63,000 / $ 86,000).

Secretary for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice warned earlier this week that the UK, if the French endure the threat of a blockade of British boats, could take action and say, “Two can play in this game” – although in terms of things only the French have been scoring, while the British government is only offering a little hard speech.

Follow Kurt Zindulki on Twitter here @KurtZindulka

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