France Reiterates Threat Of Retaliation In Fishing Crisis

France's maritime minister warned Tuesday that the European Union will take retaliatory measures if the UK does not resolve a fishing row by Dec. 10.

Britain "still has not" issued licenses to 154 French fishermen to fish in British territorial waters, Annick Girardin told the Ouest France newspaper.

Accusing London of "testing the solidarity" of the EU, Girardin said they will attempt to resolve the crisis with the UK until Dec. 10.

She noted that if the UK does not grant licenses to French fishermen by this date, the EU will do what is necessary and take legal action.

French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune also warned on Nov. 29 that France will halt negotiations if Britain does not make any progress on granting new fishing licenses in the next 10 days.

After Paris threatened to impose sanctions on Nov. 2, Britain signaled moving constructively on the fishing licenses and joined in negotiations with the European Commission on the dispute over fishing licenses in the English Channel.

The measures included tightening customs on UK products and trucks and banning entry to British trawlers from unloading their cargo in French ports.

France maintains that Britain has breached the post-Brexit fishing agreement and shortchanged it with lesser licenses to French fishers. According to the new provisions in the wake of Brexit, fishers from the EU can continue to fish in British waters by obtaining a fresh license by proving that they have traditionally fished in those waters before.

The issue of fishing licenses has resulted in a standoff between the two countries for months. Earlier, France had threatened to retaliate by reducing electricity supply to Jersey Island.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz -