EU fisheries negotiations said to be ‘getting tetchy’

Fisheries talks between the European Union and UK are said to be “getting tetchy” ahead of the June negotiation deadline, with “very little” progress being made in the penultimate round of Brexit trade talks.

The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, said the third round of talks, which concluded yesterday, had produced some “useful discussion” on fisheries but said the EU continued to insist on arrangements that would be “incompatible with the UK’s future as an independent coastal state”.

Since the start of negotiations, Brussels has demanded “status quo” access to UK waters, which would essentially mean a continuation of the common fisheries policy.

Mr Frost said: “We cannot agree arrangements that are manifestly unbalanced and against the interests of the UK fishing industry.

“It is hard to understand why the EU insists on an ideological approach which makes it more difficult to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. We very much need a change in EU approach for the next negotiation round.”

Likewise the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, suggested the UK’s demands were “not realistic”.

“Why would we give favourable conditions to certain British professions to work in our market when our European fishermen would be excluded from British waters and risk losing their jobs?” he told a press conference.

“The next round must bring new dynamism in order to avoid a stalemate between us.”

Privately, however, both teams have hinted there could yet be a breakthrough.

A senior source close to the UK negotiating team said Britain had submitted a fisheries proposal that makes clear the UK would be willing to consider granting access to EU fishermen on a zonal basis, as agreed with countries like Norway.

“Talks are getting tetchy, but we’ve made modest progress,” the source said.

A source on the EU side said the proposal offered “a start to the dialogue on fisheries”.

The next and final round of talks between the UK and EU teams is on June 1.

PROTECTION: Health Secretary Matt Hancock during the media briefing

The final round of talks is scheduled for June 1