By Richard Lough PARIS (Reuters) - French fishermen said they could block the northern port of Calais and Channel Tunnel rail link, both major transit points for trade between Britain and continental Europe, if London does not grant more fishing licences in the next 17 days. The warning by trawler captains in Boulogne-sur-Mer comes as Britain reels from a truck driver shortage that has sown chaos through its supply chains for everything from fuel and pork to poultry and medicines less than three months ahead of Christmas. Amid growing exasperation in France over what it says is Britain s refusal to honour its post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU, Olivier Lepretre, owner of a Boulogne-based trawler and chairman of the Hauts-de-France Regional Fisheries Committee, said port blockades were being considered by the fishermen. Especially those handling the import and export of goods, he told Reuters. Retaliation had been planned sooner but maritime minister Annick Girardin, who accuses Br
PARIS (Reuters) - French fishermen said they could block the northern port of Calais and Channel Tunnel rail link, both major transit points for trade between Britain and continental Europe, if London does not grant more fishing licences in the next 17 days.
December 13, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU s Executive Commission President Ursula von der Leyen say Brexit talks deadlocked.
BRUSSELS London and Brussels face a make-or-break decision on an elusive trade agreement Sunday, after a week of tension and deadlock that left a tumultuous no deal exit for Britain from the European Union s orbit on Dec. 31 looking more likely than not, Reuters reported.
Negotiators had till Saturday s evening to resolve an impasse on arrangements that would guarantee Britain zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the EU s single market, though talks could carry on if they miss the deadline.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the president of the EU s executive Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, both said on Friday that a no-deal was now the most likely outcome.