Macron's security plan carries an unpleasant odor of fish
Title: EU-UK Defense Pact Hits a Rough Patch Over French President Macron's Fishy Policy
By: Lea Verstl
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It seems the EU-UK defense pact is facing some turbulent waters as a dispute over fishing rights casts a long shadow over the planned agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron is flexing his muscles, potentially derailing the pact at the upcoming EU-UK summit in London.
Old disagreements have resurfaced, and the issue at hand is access to fishing quotas in British waters. As the EU and the UK aim to stand united against Russian aggression, the French President, allegedly with domestic pressure looming, is jeopardizing the agreement.
Even the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has expressed her bafflement about the dispute. In April, she remarked to the BBC that she couldn't fathom how vital fish was in these talks. Recently, she offered a more optimistic outlook: "Since an agreement only comes about when everything is agreed upon, there are still some gray areas, but I believe we'll manage it."
The squabble over access for European fishing fleets to British waters has proven to be a sticking point in negotiations for the EU-UK defense pact. The security agreement, set to be finalized at the EU-UK summit on Monday, also aimed to improve joint trade and cooperation agreements. According to sources from ntv.de, fishing rights are still part of the negotiating package, and the disagreement remains unresolved.
It's ironic that a dispute over fish - a seemingly innocuous matter - could potentially derail a defense pact intended to bolster Europe's security against Russian aggression. Green MEP Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament's Defense Committee, expresses her sentiments to ntv.de: "Given the state of the world, linking defense cooperation to fishing quotas is rather absurd."
The fishing dispute has been simmering since Brexit, and it's gotten particularly heated between France and the UK. Macron's security policy currently has a fishy aroma, as access to British waters is crucial for France's fleets to catch scallops in generous quantities. Other EU countries are also advocating for this access, but the feud between London and Paris seems to have reached boiling point about four years ago, when an agreement on the number of licenses for fishermen was reached. The rules of this agreement could be extended by two more years, according to the "Financial Times."
Negotiations over the pact aren't just about arms, but also about strengthening troop cooperation. "Discussions also delved into a limited involvement of the United Kingdom in EU-led military missions, which would further cement cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom in the defense arena," says Estonian ex-general Riho Terras to ntv.de. Terras is a member of the European Parliament's conservative faction, the European People's Party (EPP), and vice-chair of the defense committee.
Cooperation with Britain could help the EU in areas where it would have significant gaps without the military support of the USA. "The United Kingdom has a lot to offer in the areas of intelligence and satellites," says Terras. Britain could potentially lend a hand in supporting war-torn Ukraine by continuing to supply heavy weapons, ammunition, and long-range precision strike systems. The EU could undoubtedly benefit from the defense pact with London if it doesn't sink due to Macron's ambitious fishing policy.
- United Kingdom
- France
- Emmanuel Macron
- Keir Starmer
- EU Commission
- EU Commission President
- EU
- EU Parliament
- London
- Fishing
- Security Policy
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Ukraine Conflict
- Attack on Ukraine
Further Reading:
- Overview: CNN
- Recent Arbitration Ruling: Euractiv
- Political and Diplomatic Context: Politico
- Specific French-UK Disputes: Financial Times
- Outlook: Reuters
- The ongoing dispute over fishing quotas between the United Kingdom and the EU, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, could potentially jeopardize the EU-UK defense pact.
- The EU Commission and the EU Commission President have shown concern about the escalating disagreement, fearing it could affect the security cooperation between the EU and the UK.
- Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Labour Party in the UK, has joined the debate, urging for a resolution that benefits both parties.
- The fishing dispute has a long history, dating back to Brexit negotiations, and it seems the issue remains unresolved despite the looming EU-UK summit.
- In addition to the fishing quarrel, the EU-UK defense pact aims to improve troop cooperation and address gaps in military support that could be filled by the UK, particularly in regions such as Ukraine.
- Diplomatic sources have hinted that discussions on involving the UK in EU-led military missions could further cement cooperation between the two parties.
- The UK, with its expertise in intelligence and satellite technology, could potentially aid war-torn Ukraine, providing military support in the form of heavy weapons, ammunition, and long-range precision strike systems.
- Migration, wars and conflicts, car accidents, politics, general news, crime and justice, accidents, sports, football, soccer, sports betting, European leagues, and premier league are other topics that might occupy the public's attention, but the fishing dispute between the EU and the UK has recently dominated headlines.
