Britain points extra EU fishing licences in dispute with France By Reuters

(Reuters) -Britain issued further fishing licences to EU vessels on Saturday in an try and resolve a dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights for French fishermen.

Britain issued 18 licences for EU substitute vessels in UK territorial waters and 5 licences for EU vessels to entry Jersey waters, Britain and the European Fee stated.

Technical consultations about seven further licences are anticipated to conclude on Monday, the statements from London and Brussels stated.

“We’ve licensed vessels the place enough proof has been offered that demonstrates {that a} vessel qualifies for entry … The place that proof has not been offered, licences haven’t been issued,” the British authorities stated.

France stated it took word of the brand new British licences and that 1,034 or 93% of French licence requests had now been secured.

Europe Minister Clement Beaune and Seas Minister Annick Girardin stated in a joint assertion France and the EU had been trying into all attainable authorized avenues to safe the remaining licences and produce proof that Britain had agreed to overview.

Britain and the EU agreed to arrange a licensing system to grant fishing vessels entry to one another’s waters when Britain left the bloc. However France says it has not been given the complete quantity it’s due, whereas Britain says solely these missing the right documentation haven’t been granted.

Fishing represents a tiny share of each the French and British economies, however it’s politically delicate.