France stays firm on access to UK fisheries while Germany & Italy hold out for fair Brexit deal as Johnson’s deadline arrives

With Boris Johnson’s October 15 deadline now upon us, European leaders have shown no signs of backing down on their demands, as heads of state met in Brussels for an EU summit and more post-Brexit trade discussions.

On arriving in Brussels on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she wanted a fair deal with London, but that it should reflect the demands of all parties. “We want a deal, but obviously not at any price. It has to be a fair agreement that serves the interests of both sides. This is worth every effort,” she noted. 

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte echoed the words of his German counterpart, saying that Italy was willing to work to the very last minute to get a trade deal done, but added, “we need a fair deal,” and would not finalise an agreement “at any cost”.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron was more precise about his position, stating “in no case shall our fishermen be sacrificed for Brexit.” He added “if these conditions are not met, it’s possible we won’t have a deal. If the right terms can’t be found at the end of these discussions, we’re ready for a no-deal for our future relations.”  

EU access to British waters after the transition period finishes on December 31 is one of a number of outstanding issues for trade negotiators, including dispute settlement and state aid. Trade between the two bodies is estimated to be worth a trillion euros every year. 

Despite, the relatively small value of fishing rights, which is worth less than 1.4 billion pounds (€1.6 billion) to the UK economy, according to a House of Commons research, the issue remains a sticking point for both parties. 

On Wednesday, with tensions running high, videos emerged online of French fishing vessels attacking British boats by firing flares and throwing oil.

Thursday’s meeting was only the third time that EU leaders have met face-to-face since the coronavirus pandemic began. Johnson has previously said that London would walk away from the negotiating table if an “outline” for a trade deal had not been reached by October 15.

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