Statement by the Commission on fishing licences

Today the UK has issued 18 licences for EU i replacement vessels in the UK territorial waters and 5 licences for EU vessels to access Jersey waters. Further technical consultations will continue with the aim to have 7 additional replacement vessels licenced by the end of Monday.

At the end of November, the European Commission had invited the UK to intensify joint efforts in order to conclude on all outstanding licence requests by EU fishing vessels by 10 December. With today's announcements, this resulted in 83 additional vessels receiving clarity for their fishing in the UK waters.

Today's decision is an important step in a long process seeking full implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. A number of vessels seeking access to waters have not yet received a licence. The European Commission will continue to work, together with France, in order to ensure full implementation of the TCA and will examine the legal circumstances around every requested license which has not been granted.