brussels is slapped down France In a row over fishing rights after Brexit Emmanuel Macron To arm the EU for its own interests, say sources.
France was urging the European Union to cut off Britain’s access to energy markets and impose trade tariffs as part of ‘retaliatory’ measures, as dozens of French fishermen were denied permits to trawl UK waters. was denied.
But sources in Brussels say the EU Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the bloc, has asked France to “cool the water” and stop threatening to find an “amicable” solution.
Jersey said today that France is unlikely to comply with a threat to cut power because it would deny electricity to 108,000 islanders, as well as Jersey’s hospitals and schools.
Jersey Foreign Minister Ian Gorst said, ‘I do not believe that will happen.’
Emmanuel Macron has been slapped by Brussels over French threats to Britain, post-Brexit fishing rights dispute, sources say
France reiterated a threat this week that it could cut power to the Channel Islands, which lie close to the French coast and depend on France for their electricity.
Gorst told reporters via videolink that the threat was “disproportionate” and “unacceptable” and in violation of Britain’s post-Brexit treaty with the European Union.
But whether France finally carried this threat, ‘we have the contingency’, he said.
Paris was demanding that all licenses be reinstated or Britain will face the consequences, with more details to be unveiled later this month.
But the commission has taken a soft stance and wants to conduct a thorough investigation into the controversy before deciding to respond, insiders said.
Diplomats are believed to be in talks with Britain ‘boat by boat’ to see who should be allowed entry.
talking to Wire, a source said: ‘Once again France is playing the role of the European Union for national interests.’
France has accused Britain of violating a post-Brexit trade deal, which it has historically refused to license to fishermen fishing in UK waters.
But London says the license has been denied only to boats where the shippers were unable to provide evidence of their traditional grounds.
France said such evidence was not mentioned in the agreement, and the small fishing vessels do not have the kind of technology that allows them to prove where they have been in the past.
The issue was behind a standoff in the waters off Jersey earlier this year, when French Minister of the Seas, Anick Girardin, threatened to cut power to the island.
France has threatened ‘retaliation’ after its fishing fleet (pictured) was denied a license, and was urging the EU to limit Britain’s access to energy and impose trade tariffs
Fighting resumed this week when Britain granted 12 licenses to a fleet of 47 boats that had applied to fish six to 12 nautical miles off the UK coast.
The issue is particularly important for Emmanuel Macron as he heads toward an election in which he risks losing to far-right challengers.
Fishing is a small part of the economies of both the UK and France, but is seen as a symbolic issue for the two nations, who once conquered vast parts of the world because of their naval prowess.
France has threatened to unveil a package of “retaliatory” measures later this month if the issue is not resolved.
Little is known about the measures in question, but Jean-Pierre Pont – an MP from Macron’s En Marche party – has suggested that this should include the threat of breaking a key migration agreement called the Touquet Treaty.
The 2003 deal effectively extended Britain’s border to French soil, allowing it to set up checkpoints to stop migrants before they reach the UK, where they can claim asylum.
Breaking the agreement would mean more and more migrants ending up on British shores.
Unless strict action is taken, Mr Pont warned, then furious fishermen will take the law into their own hands by blocking UK ports and the Channel Tunnel.
An MP has suggested breaking a migration treaty with the UK that means asylum seekers could be held on French soil (pictured), until more licenses are granted
Olivier Lepretre, the head of the powerful northern France fisheries committee, said earlier this week: ‘If talks fail, we will stop all French and European products reaching the UK, and we will stop all British products from reaching Europe. Will stop you from.’
‘Until Boris’ [Johnson] Going back, Britons won’t have so many good things to eat this Christmas. I hope it doesn’t come to that.’
On Thursday, he said London had only “two weeks” to act or a blockade would begin.
Britain and France have already clashed in recent months over an Australian submarine deal, the EU’s bid to halt life-saving jabs coming to Britain and the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers said: ‘This is an unacceptable attempt at bullying. Ministers should be firm.
Senior Tory MP David Jones urged Mr Macron to ‘reduce the rhetoric’, saying: ‘Recourse to gangsterism, which it effectively is, can never be justified’.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said differences with Britain were growing and it was up to London to offer ideas to improve relations. He said, ‘The ball is in their court.
.