France urges European Union to take strong action against UK over fishing rights

French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Tuesday warned the United Kingdom to follow the bilateral cooperation dealt post-Brexit related to fishing licences, news agency Sputnik reported on Tuesday. The development came after tension rise between the two countries over the technicalities of yielding licences to French boats operating in Jersey coastal waters. Quoting French Prime Minister Jean Castex, Sputnik said that the minister demanded the European Union take strong action against the United Kingdom. Further, Castex blamed the British for failing to uphold their promises on fishing under the Brexit deal.  The minister said that London's "behaviour cannot be tolerated", reported Sputnik. 

"If that does not serve we will go the (Brexit deal) mediation committee to get the British to maintain their word and, more broadly, we will examine all the provisions of the implementation of agreements with the EU and also if required, the mutual association we have with the UK," Sputnik quoted Castex as saying in the Parliament. The strong stance from the French government was reported after the Britan granted licences to 12 out of 47 bids for smaller vessels to fish in its regional water boundary. According to the news agency, the United Kingdom announced it would examine further testimony to back remaining bids for netting rights.
Soon after the UK statement, irked French Sea Minister Annick Girardin took a dig at the British Minister and said that the London fishing must not be taken captive by the British for "political ends", reported the news agency.

United Kingdom allows 117 EU permissions for its inshore territorial waters

"It is a new refusal of the British to apply the conditions of the Brexit accord notwithstanding all the work offered together. I have only one watchword; to obtain definitive permissions for our fishermen as the agreement anticipates", Girardin was cited by the French daily afternoon newspaper Le Monde. It is worth mentioning that the United Kingdom has allowed 117 EU permissions for its inshore territorial waters, and about 1,700 EU ships have been allowed to fish in the wider UK private commercial zone. Apart from challenging the bilateral agreement, France also signalled it could cut the electricity supply to the British crown dependencies of the Channel Islands.

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