Post-Brexit fishing rights were high on the agenda at a “crunch” summit yesterday (Saturday 3 October) between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Guardian reports on the EU’s warming to the idea of an annual agreement on share of catch, as mooted in the UK’s new negotiation paper — which offers a three-year transition period for EU fishing fleets — and following a fisheries deal reached with Norway last week.
Britain is now pushing that deal as a model for its post-Brexit relationship with the EU over fishing rights and quotas.
France remains opposed to the suggestion over fears that failure to reach agreement on annual allowable catches could destroy the livelihoods of its own coastal fishing communities.
But it’s understood Prime Minster Boris Johnson is hopeful that French President Emmanuel Macron — who is said to have isolated himself from other EU heads of state over his hardline stance on fisheries — will acquiesce to Britain’s new demands in order to secure a much-needed UK-EU trade deal.
The Guardian has much more on the story HERE.