The European Commission “retains objective of achieving a mutually acceptable outcome on fishing licences in UK waters”, said the institution during an exchange of views on Thursday 9 December with the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries.
The Commission hopes to get the EU and the UK to find common ground on this sensitive issue before the 10 December deadline. However, France said, on Thursday, that nearly 100 vessels had still not obtained the licences they had requested to be able to fish in British waters (see EUROPE 12844/19).
Fabrizio Donatella, Director of DG MARE, tried to reassure MEPs, in particular François-Xavier Bellamy (EPP, France), the rapporteur on the fisheries aspect of Brexit. “We have already taken a huge step with the UK: a significant number of licences have been granted”, Mr Donatella said. He admitted that “difficult cases, very important for the operators”, especially for the French (and Belgian) ones, were still under discussion.
Mr Bellamy asked what “countermeasures” the Commission would take if France did not obtain the requested licences. “If we come to the conclusion that there is a failure to implement parts of the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement”, then “there are procedures in place”, Mr Donatella replied.
The priority at the moment is to ensure that those who legitimately need access to UK waters get licences as set out in the agreement, he concluded.
Quotas 2022. Mr Donatella confirmed that discussions were still ongoing with the UK on the 2022 fishing opportunities for shared fish stocks. Sixty-five Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are to be set and the deadline is again 10 December.
Pierre Karleskind (Renew Europe, France) said he wants to “support the EU negotiators in their firm position”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)