British negotiators have warned the European Union that the Royal Navy could board EU member state’s fishing boats if they breach the terms of a post-Brexit fishing deal.
UK officials have said that the United Kingdom is prepared to take any measures necessary to protect its fishing waters after the transition period ends, documents published by the Government revealed on Tuesday.
Britain has demanded that EU boats, which currently have the automatic right to fish in UK waters, apply for a licence and that the bloc provides the UK with a list of all vessels eligible to enter British fisheries “in good time”.
“Access to our waters will be on our terms,” Michael Gove said in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
David Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator, wrote to Michel Barnier in a letter sent as the documents were published telling him: “The EU’s position that access to our waters after the end of year should be the same as now is clearly not realistic,
“What is on offer is not a fair free trade agreement between close economic partners but a relatively low-quality trade agreement coming with unprecedented EU oversight of our laws and institutions.”
In response, Mr Barnier the EU’s chief negotiator, said he welcomed the publication of the documents, “Transparency is very important in negotiations,” he added. “The European Commission published a comprehensive legal agreement over two months ago.”
HM’s Government has also published plans for a UK-wide tariff to replace the current EU tariff on imports after the end of Brexit transition period on December 31.
The UK’s draft fisheries agreement said: “Each party may take such measures in conformity with international law as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.”
Under international law, the boarding of suspect boats is entirely legally, in February of this year, the UK bolstered the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron by two ships on top of its four River-class offshore patrol vessels and a helicopter.
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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