Johnson won't rule out triggering EU dispute over French fishing row

ROME • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he could not rule out triggering trade dispute action against France in a post-Brexit row over fishing that has further strained relations and could ultimately disrupt the flow of goods.

Mr Johnson, who is hosting the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow this week, said yesterday he did not want the spat over fish to derail a meeting of the world's 20 biggest economies, seen as a stepping stone to secure more commitments for COP26.

After an earlier British-hosted G-7 meeting became overshadowed by a disagreement with the European Union over post-Brexit problems with the movement of sausages and other goods to Northern Ireland, Mr Johnson was keen to defuse the row.

"If there is a breach of the treaty or we think there is a breach, we will do what is necessary to protect British interests," he told Sky News in the Colosseum in Rome, where he was for a G-20 meeting.

Asked if he would rule out triggering dispute resolution measures in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) this week, Mr Johnson said: "No, of course not, I don't rule that out. But what I think everybody wants to see is cooperation between the European allies and Emmanuel Macron and I share a common perspective which is that climate change is a disaster for humanity."

He also told European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen that French threats over post-Brexit fishing licences were "completely unjustified". In a meeting between the two leaders in Rome yesterday, Mr Johnson said France's actions "do not appear to be compatible with the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement or wider international law".

Relations with France have become more strained since Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, with London's security pact with the United States and Australia doing little to build trust with Paris. Mr Macron has questioned Britain's "credibility".

Fishing, while not economically crucial to either country, holds huge political importance to both. If the row is not resolved, it could trigger the start of dispute measures in the Brexit trade deal.

Any TCA proceedings would likely involve convening an arbitration panel to decide on the dispute, and could result in a demand for compensation or suspension of obligations under the deal.

In Rome, Mr Johnson and Mr Macron exchanged a mock-combative fist bump but did not appear to speak to one another as the leaders took a "family photo". They are due to see each other for a brief meeting today.

The issue escalated last week when a British scallop dredger was escorted to a French port after French officials said it did not have correct documentation.

REUTERS