UK 'prepared to take legal action' as it remains in deadlock with France over fishing row

Britain and France continue to remain in a deadlock in the ongoing dispute of a permit for the fishing boat. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned that the country is prepared to take legal action against France if it does not withdraw "unreasonable" threats to impose trade measures in the fishing row over post-Brexit fishing rights. 

Last month, the UK and Jersey denied permits to a few French boats to operate in their waters. In retaliation, France threatened to block British boats from some of its ports. The country also threatened to cut electricity to Jersey.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said that Britain must give ground in the dispute or France will retaliate on Tuesday. He said, "The ball is in Britain's court."

Also read | UK decries France's seizure of fishing boat as post-Brexit row deepens

Truss, while speaking to Sky News said that "we will use the mechanisms of our trade agreement with the EU to take action" if France pressed ahead with its plans.

"The French have made completely unreasonable threats, including to the Channel Islands and to our fishing industry, and they need to withdraw those threats," she said. 

A spokeswoman for the European Commission, while speaking to AFP confirmed that officials from France, Britain, Jersey, Guernsey and the Commission would meet on Monday afternoon in Brussels to try to defuse the row.

The meeting has been called by the Commission and is aimed for "a swift solution on the outstanding issues," she said.