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On the night of 28 October, French authorities confiscated one of the British trawlers off the coast of Normandy. Britain condemned the takeover and promised a symmetrical response, informs Reuters.
French Maritime Minister Annique Girardin said the ship Cornelis Gert Jan was detained at night during checks in the northern port of Le Havre because it was not allowed to fish in French territorial waters. The second British boat received a verbal warning and a fine.
United Kingdom Environment Minister George Eustis, in turn, noted that the detained vessel had the necessary permits. In the opinion of the UK, the actions of Paris do not comply with international law. The British government said the French response was “disappointing and disproportionate, and not what we would expect from a close ally and partner.”
The “fish war” between the countries began immediately after the UK left the European Union, the legal status of Britain demanded changes in the terms of cooperation in the English Channel. In May, London imposed fishing restrictions off Jersey, near France, and the conflict escalated. “So now we need to speak the language of power, because that seems to be the only thing the British government understands,” French European Affairs Minister Clement Bon said on 28 October.
The hijacking of the vessel signaled France’s determination to impose previously promised sanctions against Britain if there is no progress in negotiations on changing the terms of cooperation between the countries in the English Channel. On the eve of the French authorities said that the sanctions may include additional customs checks on British goods from November 2, if the dispute is not resolved by that date. In addition, France has warned that next week it will block British boats from some ports. According to George Eustis, if sanctions are imposed, Britain will respond symmetrically.
Girardin noted that France cannot stop supplying electricity to the UK, but is ready to raise tariffs, which will hit hard on the economy of the United Kingdom, which is now experiencing a crisis due to higher energy prices.
British fishing grounds are among the richest in the North East Atlantic, where most of the European Union’s fishing activities take place. According to Reuters, France’s actions can be regarded as a “warning shot” fired in order to force the UK to compromise in negotiations with the EU.
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