Lord Frost will demand France drops its threats over fishing ‘once and for all’ as he holds showdown talks in Paris.
The Brexit minister will meet Emmanuel Macron’s European minister Clement Beaune in an attempt to defuse the post-Brexit row.
Officials were concerned that the talks might worsen the row, as Lord Frost made clear that the Government would not back down from issuing licences for French fishing boats.
On Monday, Mr Macron (right), called off plans to prevent British trawlers offloading catches into French ports. He also announced new checks for lorries entering the country.
Paris suggested that it might rescind its threat to disrupt cross-Channel commerce.
Monday’s call by Macron to halt plans to prevent British trawlers offloading catches at French ports and to introduce new checks for lorries entering the country from British trawlers was rescinded. Gabriel Attal, spokesperson for France’s government, said Paris could continue to impose sanctions unless Lord Frost makes concessions.
‘All options are on the table’, he said. ‘We may need to implement those measures if we do not reach an agreement.’
Under the Brexit trade deal, French vessels are able to fish in the area between six and 12 miles from the UK’s shores until 2026 if they can prove they had previously been operating in those waters.
However, some boats have had to have their permits revoked because they didn’t provide enough documentation.
Lord Frost will demand France drops its threats over fishing ‘once and for all’ as he holds showdown talks in Paris
Downing Street said it was not trying to weaken the evidence requirements for granting licenses as part of negotiations to resolve the dispute.
Asked if the threshold would be lowered, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘No, we remain confident that we are enforcing the rules as set out. We have taken a number of steps to assist the French fishing fleet in providing the necessary evidence.’
A Government source indicated that at the meeting in Paris, Lord Frost would urge the French government to remove its threats ‘once and for all’.
‘We are confident in our position,’ they added. ‘There is not going to be a shift in our position.’
Under the Brexit trade deal, French vessels are able to fish in the area between six and 12 miles from the UK’s shores until 2026 if they can prove they had previously been operating in those waters. Pictured: The French Gendarmerie Maritime impounded the scallop trawler
Victoria Prentis, Fisheries Minister, published figures showing that 98% of licence applications for fishing in British waters were granted. Out of the 1,831 applications, 1,793 licences were issued. 38 are awaiting further information.
However, the government has only granted permanent licences to around half the 217 fishing license applications in Jersey.
Officials from the EU and France tried to be optimistic about the possibility of a truce being reached. French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari praised the ‘constructive spirit’ of the talks, while a European Commission spokesman said the negotiations had been ‘positive’.