Who will blink first? Boris and Emmanuel Macron are locked eyes at Trevi fountain as they prepare to face off over fishing rights at the G20 summit in Rome.

  • Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron to ‘brush by” talks at G20 summit
  • France and the UK at daggers drew over permits for fishing on British waters
  • France has asked the EU to stand by it while the UK threatens legal action 










Boris Johnson & Emmanuel Macron locked eyes today, as they prepare to face off in the increasingly bitter fishing row.

The PM and French President met as they visited Trevi Fountain with other leaders who were attending the G20 summit in Rome.

They ginned at one another, but it is expected that they will have a heated meeting later on in the spat.     

Mr Johnson went on the offensive last night as he warned the EU not to side with France, and Brexit minister Lord Frost threatened to take legal action. 

France has threatened border and port sanctions, including increased checks on British vessels, a ‘go-slow’ at customs and increased tariffs on energy bills in Jersey unless more fishing licences are issued by the UK for small French boats by Tuesday.

Clement Beaune, Europe minister, was Mr Macron’s scapegoat, adding that Britain was not being a friend, ally, and responsible partner’.  

The UK government insists that licences are being granted to boats where they can show proof they fished in waters prior to Brexit. Ministers have vowed not to back down. 

The PM and the French President came face to face as they visited the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome with other leaders at the G20 summit this morning

The PM and French President met as they visited Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain with other leaders attending the G20 summit.

G20 leaders visited the landmark in Rome on the final day of the G20 gathering

G20 leaders visited Rome’s landmark on the final day at the G20 gathering

The leaders seemed to be in a jovial mood as the two-day summit wraps up in Rome - with the action moving to Glasgow for COP26

As the two-day summit ended in Rome, the leaders seemed to be in a happy mood. The action then moves to Glasgow for COP26

Mr Macron and Mr Johnson kept each other close as they brace for difficult talks on fishing

Mr Macron and Mr Johnson remained close to each other as they prepared for difficult discussions on fishing

France ‘demands £125,000 for release of British-registered fishing trawler’ 

French courts have demanded a £125,000 ‘ransom’ for the release of the British fishing trawler impounded in the Le Havre port, it emerged last night.

Cornelis Gertjan, a Scottish-registered fisherman, is accused of not possessing a valid French fishing license.

The unnamed skipper, believed to be from Ireland, has been charged with ‘acts in unauthorised sea fishing within French maritime salt waters’. He was ordered to appear in court next august. 

Mr Johnson and Mr Macron shared an awkward fist-bump during an encounter on the first day of the summit yesterday.

Downing Street insists that the pair are friends’. But anger is building behind-the scenes over France’s grandstanding behavior, with Mr Macron facing a presidential campaign in the spring. 

One senior UK official said: ‘The French have made their position abundantly clear. They are not interested in a positive and constructive relationship, but only in trying to show that Brexit was a mistake.’

Another added: ‘From explicit warnings about stopping energy supply to Jersey to public threats about imposing customs controls unless we comply with their demands, this has been a concerted effort to undermine and now breach the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.’

The has dismissed France’s claim that Britain has not responded to requests to grant more licences is wrong and it has been transparent throughout.

A source said: ‘We’ve been through painstaking discussions on every single French vessel in question, and have acted at all times in accordance with the deal struck with the EU. It’s incredibly disappointing to see France resorting to these threats.’

Emmanuel Macron and Mr Johnson fist bumped despite gearing up for a potential showdown over fisheries

Despite being ready for a possible showdown over fisheries, Emmanuel Macron and Mr Johnson got bumped

France has threatened border and port sanctions, including increased checks on British vessels, a ‘go-slow’ at customs and increased tariffs on energy bills in Jersey, unless more fishing licences are issued by the UK for small French boats by Tuesday. Pictured: French fisherman in the fishing town of Port En Bessin

France has threatened border and port sanctions, including increased checks on British vessels, a ‘go-slow’ at customs and increased tariffs on energy bills in Jersey, unless more fishing licences are issued by the UK for small French boats by Tuesday. Pictured: French fisherman in the fishing town of Port En Bessin

Mr Macron’s attack dog Europe Minister Clement Beaune said that unless the UK made ‘significant’ concession on licences for French fishermen, France would respond with ‘proportionate measures’, potentially including a blockade at French ports. 

Lord Frost yesterday blasted a ‘pattern’ of threats made by France to Britain and said the UK Government is ‘actively considering’ starting legal proceedings against the country.

The Conservative peer rallied against comments made in a letter to Ms Von Der Leyen by Jean Castex, the French prime minister, that the UK does more harm to leave the EU than it does to stay in.

Lord Frost stated: “To see it expressed this way is clearly very troubling, and very problematic in today’s context when we’re trying to solve many highly sensitive problems, including the Northern Ireland Protocol.”

Mr Johnson slammed the ‘rhetoric’ coming out of Paris and warned that threats – including a go-slow on goods at Calais and blocking British trawlers from French ports – were ‘completely unjustifiable’ and likely broke international law. 

French courts have demanded a £125,000 'ransom' for the release of the British fishing trawler impounded in the Le Havre port, it emerged last night

French courts have demanded a £125,000 ‘ransom’ for the release of the British fishing trawler impounded in the Le Havre port, it emerged last night

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