France arrested a British cutter on Thursday and a second boat was warned because it was said to have been sailing in French waters without a license. The French Minister for Fisheries, Annick Girardin, said that the boat had been confiscated during an inspection near Le Havre because it had fished illegally there. On Wednesday, the government in Paris announced retaliation for the fact that French fishermen had not received the guaranteed licenses to fish in British waters. From November 2nd, France also wants to introduce special controls for British goods. The government of President Emmanuel Macron is also considering further measures and is not ruling out a review of electricity exports to the UK.
The British government responded by saying that France’s behavior was disproportionate. Environment Minister George Eustice said in parliament the threats violated international law.
