Britain could declare Brexit ‘water wars’ in response to Brussels’ blockade on shellfish
THE importing of European mineral water and several food products into the UK could be restricted under retaliatory measures being considered by ministers over Brussels’ refusal to end its blockade on British shellfish.
The Sunday Telegraph can disclose that ministers are looking at proposals dubbed “Water Wars” which could see the UK end a number of continuity arrangements it has agreed with the EU.
This could mean restrictions are potentially imposed on certain products being sold in Britain, and in some cases imports being stopped altogether.
Senior government sources pointed to potential restrictions on the importing of mineral water and seed potatoes, the latter of which the EU has secured a temporary agreement on until the end of June.
In a warning shot to Brussels, a government source said: “There is thought being given to where we can leverage in other areas. We have continuity arrangements … we can stop these which means they won’t be able to sell their produce here.”
The discussions over “tit for tat” measures began earlier this month after the European Commission announced that a ban on the export of live oysters, clams, scallops and mussels from Britain’s waters would become permanent because it is now listed as a third country.
It can now be disclosed that ministers have escalated contingency planning after Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, snubbed a request to meet George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, to try to resolve the row.
Mr Johnson is said to be personally angered by the move, which took ministers by surprise and which officials claim contradicted earlier assurances they had been given by the Commission.
Last night, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs announced it would now widen the eligibility of the £23million support package it has announced for the fishing industry, in order to help fishermen and
shellfish exporters affected by the ban. The grants, which will begin in March, will cover three months of average fixed costs, and will be open to certain boats and shellfish exporters who have been hit by falling demand domestically during lockdown and disruption in exporting to the EU.
It is understood that officials are focusing on products which are already readily available in the UK, so as not to disadvantage British consumers.
It comes amid a series of other major flashpoints with the EU, including over vaccines, the post-Brexit arrangements for trade in Northern Ireland, and the status of the two sides’ respective ambassadors in London and Brussels.
This week Lord Frost, Mr Johnson’s chief Brexit negotiator, was appointed to the Cabinet and assumed many of Michael Gove’s responsibilities for managing future relations with Brussels.
Whitehall insiders have claimed his appointment is partly a signal of intent from the Prime Minister, who is said to want to take a “punchier” response to the EU and its “overly-bureaucratic” approach to the Northern Ireland protocol. The protocol was set up to smooth trade friction created by the province remaining in the UK internal market while applying EU customs rules, but has been blamed for causing major disruption for traders moving goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.
Yesterday Lord Trimble, an architect of the Good Friday Agreement, joined calls from the DUP to scrap the protocol altogether.
Separately, The Sunday Telegraph can also disclose that Ben Habib, a former Brexit Party MEP, cross-bench peer Baroness Hoey, and Jim Allister, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party, are threatening a legal challenge against the Government to try to overturn it.