France threatens to block UK fishing boats as post-Brexit licence row heats up

France threatens to block UK fishing boats as post-Brexit licence row heats up

/ Europe

















Issued on: 28/10/2021 - 09:20





















A fisherman hauls his catch on the coast of Granville. © AFP/Archives Charly Triballeau











France will adopt a zero tolerance attitude towards Britain and block access to virtually all its boats until it awards licences to French fishermen, France’s minister for Europe said Thursday.











“I stand by the fact we pursued dialogue until now, we got half of the fishing licences today, but that’s not enough and not acceptable,” Clement Beaune, France’s Europe minister, said on CNews TV.

“So now, we need to speak the language of strength since that seems to be the only thing this British government understands,” Beaune said.

Paris has been incensed by the rejection of French boats by Britain and the self-governing Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, which depend on London for defence and foreign affairs.

France had threatened trade disruptions from November 2 if its boats are not granted more access to British waters.

The measures targeting British fish exports would include "systematic customs and sanitary