Brexit: Fishing crux: Desperate struggle for an agreement on Brexit

The next deadline has passed, but negotiations on a trade agreement between the UK and the EU are still going on. What options are there now?

“Take care and thank you for the fish” is the title of a volume in the novel series “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and meanwhile the sentence has become a popular farewell greeting even among the Brexit hardliners in the UK, in their opinion but perfectly suited to the conversations with the
I adjust. They are asking for a hard break with no deal. But also negotiated on Monday
Brussels and
London further to a future trade agreement.

Fisheries: Economically insignificant, but emotionally charged

The remaining sticking point is, of all things, the economically insignificant but emotionally charged fishing. The British government is demanding that the international community give in to the dispute over catch quotas in British waters after London made concessions on the so-called “level playing field” to ensure fair competition. According to insiders, it presents itself above all
Paris stubborn and warns of a sell-off of European interests.
Of France President Emmanuel Macron fears protests from his own fishermen, who worry that they will soon be restricted to fishing in British waters.
Great Britain Premier
Boris Johnson needs a success with fish, however, in order to sell his rebellious MPs in the Conservative Party a deal. Can the two sides still agree on a compromise?

EU Parliament ready to prevent a no-deal Brexit

On Monday, the European Parliament signaled its willingness to continue doing everything possible to avoid a no deal at the turn of the year. The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, David McAllister (
CDU), told our editorial team after a meeting of the EU-UK coordination group that “every step will be taken to minimize disruption to our citizens and businesses”. The House of Representatives stressed last week that it could only ratify an agreement on a trade agreement between the EU and Great Britain if it was reached by Sunday. Reason: The 705 people’s representatives insist on enough time to check the document – the information on the length varies between 700 and 1,800 pages. The deadline has passed.

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Should the partners succeed in making a breakthrough in the next few days, the only option would now be to put the treaty into force initially without ratification and to do so in January. However, the EU Parliament is shooting itself out: This variant would have to be decided by the Council of Ministers of the member states.

Technical break over the turn of the year?

Another way would be to take a technical break over the turn of the year, as has been practiced time and again in diplomatic negotiations. “The clocks will be stopped” and the talks will continue after the turn of the year. However, this variant is considered rather unlikely.

Despite worries about supply bottlenecks due to the corona pandemic, British Transport Minister Grant Shapps ruled out an extension of the Brexit transition phase: “That would only add fuel to the fire.” Should a no-deal scenario arise, the rules of the World Trade Organization would apply in Great Britain from 2021 – including tariffs.

Many companies and representatives from various industries have been calling this option a “catastrophe” for weeks, including Paul Jackson. The 57-year-old is the head of the transport company Chiltern Distribution in Peterborough. In addition to medicines, his trucks bring fresh fruit and vegetables to the island. Lemons and onions, tomatoes and tulips, cauliflower and bananas – up to 15 of his 52 trucks are usually on the continent picking up the products. “I’m waiting for someone to finally tell me what to do.” Frustration, anger and helplessness resonate in his voice. On the official website of the government emblazoned all companies: “Prepare!” Jackson shakes his head. “What does this mean?” Without information and without a functioning IT system for processing at the border, but with the prospect of hours of delays due to traffic jams and bureaucracy, the Briton is pessimistic about the future.

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