‘Give us your waters or we block your trade deal,’ says EU Parliament

French, Irish and other Ministers tell Barnier to demand “existing access and quota shares”

Under the EU the maritime United Kingdom, surrounded by sea, became a net importer of fish

The UK-EU trade talks resume today between David Frost and his UK team and Michel Barnier and his EU team in Brussels. Below we present a summary of the shipwreck that is the current state of affairs on the key topic of fisheries.

Fisheries is one of three subjects to be discussed again in the trade talks, starting at 2.30 this afternoon. This is an iconic issue which for many people symbolises the whole concept of a free, independent, and sovereign nation taking back control of its own affairs.

EU Parliament will block UK-EU trade deal if the UK doesn’t give the EU its waters and its fish

Below is the latest statement from French MEP François-Xavier Bellamy, who heads up the EU Parliament’s Fisheries Committee. Monsieur Bellamy was speaking last week for the largest group in the EU Parliament, the EPP.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Largest group in EU Parliament, on fisheries and the UK trade deal

“Fisheries must not be an adjustment variable or a political symbol in the Brexit equation.”

“No fisheries agreement means no post-Brexit agreement.”

“The European Parliament has shown that it wants the fisheries sector to function as closely as possible to the current situation. Otherwise, we will veto the post-Brexit Treaty.”

“It will not be possible to conclude a comprehensive agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom if it does not include a comprehensive, balanced and long-term fisheries agreement, allowing continued access to waters and resources…”

- Fisheries head of EU Parliament’s largest group, the EPP, 25 May 2020

Barnier and EU Fisheries Commissioner meet the EU27’s fishing ministers – and it gets worse

The day after Monsieur Bellamy’s statement last week, Michel Barnier and EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius (yes, really) met the fishing and maritime ministers from the EU27 countries. These included the ministers from France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Monsieur Barnier and the EU Commissioner were told very clearly to stick to the official EU negotiating mandate. The mandate says that Barnier must “uphold existing reciprocal access conditions, quota shares and traditional activity of the Union fleet.”

In other words, the EU insists that the United Kingdom must stay under the yoke of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, with no say over it, and despite no longer being a member of the EU.

Here’s what the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine had to say last week

After the meeting with Michel Barnier on Tuesday last week (26 May 2020), the Irish Minister responsible for fishing, Michael Creed, told Irish media:

“I reiterated Ireland’s full commitment to the EU negotiating mandate and delivering an outcome that upholds our existing access and quota shares. That position was also supported by other ministers.
“The work done to date by Mr Barnier and his team gives confidence that Irish and EU fishing interests will be robustly defended in the negotiations.”

Meanwhile in London…

The UK’s head of negotiations, David Frost was questioned by members of the House of Commons Brexit committee last Wednesday. During the dialogue, Mr Frost intimated that a deal in the near future is not looking likely.

“I am beginning to think we might not make it by the 30th of June ... but we will keep trying…. We don’t regard fisheries as something that can be traded for any other bits of the negotiation.”

Observations

Over the past five years, Brexit Facts4EU.Org has published more research of official facts about the fishing industry and the Common Fisheries Policy than any other Brexit group.

Fishing is set to derail the UK-EU trade talks as things stand. It had been thought that the EU was preparing to soften its stance, given the unreasonableness of its position and the implacable opposition from the British side. This is clearly not happening now.

In essence, the British position is simply that of a sovereign nation, in charge of its own waters. The EU’s position is that it must continue to be free to plunder British waters as it sees fit.

The Brexit Facts4EU.Org team’s position has always been one of absolute common sense. Of course a free and independent sovereign nation must be fully in control of its own waters. Of course it should decide who is allowed in to fish, and who isn’t.

Our fishing fleet has been halved by the EU

As a result of the EU’s disastrous Common Fisheries Policy, the UK’s fishing fleet has been decimated. It will take years to rebuild it. It makes perfect sense to do a deal with the EU to allow some EU27 boats (but not the massive “factory trawlers”) in to UK waters under licence and under strict controls. Such an agreement should be reviewed annually, exactly as David Frost and his team are proposing.

For any overall trade deal to be inextricably linked to and contingent on a fisheries deal is preposterous. Indeed, it’s a perfect example of the insanity that is prevalent in the corridors of the Berlaymont. (The EU Commission building in Brussels.)

We strongly suggest that the deliciously-named EU Commissioner for fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, urgently has a rethink, before these trade talks come to a fairly abrupt end. Incidentally, Mr Sinkevičius is Lithuanian and in common with almost all EU Commissioners has never had a commercial job, let alone one which involved him going near a fishing boat.

Would you like to see the core facts about UK fishing and the EU?

We have all the research. If readers are interested we could produce a summary on fisheries on Thursday, just before the latest round of Brexit trade talks break up.

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[ Sources: EU Parliament - EPP Group | EU Commission and Council | Irish media ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Tues 02 June 2020

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Reader Comments 30

1. Robert Wells , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 06:21:

Bye bye!!Time to just Walk AWAY.

2. Matt D , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 06:24:

Why would anyone want a deal with these tossers anymore? Tear up the WA now and walk. You don't let anyone treat your country like this.

3. Patrick F , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 06:44:

My home is in Hastings, a fishing community for hundreds of years, a town that voted Leave (55%) in the 2016 referendum, nearly FOUR years ago.
Despite a traffic sign into town saying that Hastings is closed to visitors, it isn't. Or, perhaps the locals and day trippers are more concerned about our mental and physical health and contributing to the economy than listening to Government propaganda. More births than deaths in the UK yesterday, Mr Hancock in case you didn't know.
We want our waters back, we want all our businesses to reopen, we want those with urgent medical conditions to be seen. We want to be free and happy. End the lockdown.

4. Peter M , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 06:44:

What do they not understand about ' UK waters ' , they are ours not the EU's

5. Not4EU, London , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 07:24:

Fine. If any trade deal is going to be vetoed in any event, it's time to save some money & walk away now. How many times in the last 4 yrs (less 3 weeks) have we been here? All there is is obfuscation & time-wasting by the EU which costs US money.
This smacks a bit of 'look here, not there' con artistry. Whilst distracting everyone with the talks that are going nowhere, the EUling snivel serpents are pushing & 'advising' Ministers to sign up to legal agreements with the EU Defence 'blocks', ie EU control via the back door. Are the Ministers being misled or are they complicit with a foreign power to undermine this Country?

6. Tracey F , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 07:34:

Just walk they will soon come running

7. One eyed king , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 07:42:

The establishment must be aware, unless sovereignty is delivered. It will be taken. History repeats.

8. Gaz , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 08:23:

It would be just like our politicians to give into this to some degree.

9. Jon, Wales , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 08:41:

A splendid article showing common-sense over UK waters.
The problem is, the EU still don't get the fact we're leaving their dictatorial mess behind.
I will not be happy until we've completely left. Even now, it's clear the EU Commission want to control our sovereign country.
The UK fishing industry deserves to be rebuilt in the UK's own interests, and factory ships banned from UK waters.
This alone would help compensate UK fisheries for the disgrace by Ted Heath who was UK PM in the 1970's. Not only did he give away UK waters to the EEC, but was fully aware the EU as it would become was set on decimating the UK fishing industry.
To Prime Minister Boris Johnson, DO NOT BREAK YOUR PROMISES TO THE BRITISH PEOPLE.
To Mr David Frost, your recent letter was brilliant, but please do NOT cave in to EU threats, and if necessary just walk away from what I believe will be fruitless discussions. If EU members wish to sensibly trade, they will soon come knocking.
WE REFUSE ALL FORMS OF EU GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT. Let the EU remember they gained freedoms at great cost to the UK.
The EU simply don't understand why British people are restoring full sovereignty and independence, and to restore border controls, etc.
We will NOT bow down to the whims of the unaccountable (and grossly overpaid) EU, and it's taken over four decades to get things back.
The Republic of Ireland should be a little worried. But hey, if they wish to be trapped in a dictatorial EU, that's entirely up to them. The RoI is already a net contributor to the EU, and their taxpayer contribution WILL increase (I wonder did Mr Varadkar first check with his people if it was okay to give away their hard earned cash to an unaccountable EU)?
UK fishermen and the industry deserve our full support.
To my knowledge, for every fisherman who goes to sea, four jobs in the industry are created onshore? (I stand to be corrected on this).
Either way, we're fed up of threats from the EU.

10. Tony F , Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 08:53:

Come on Boris walk away now you won't get anything you want from them 4 years ago we voted to leave enough is enough

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