Fishing Dispute May Bring Down Defence Cooperation

The UK may have to make concessions on fisheries to become part of the EU’s major military build-up.

The words come from EU minister Jessica Rosencrantz (M) in an interview with the news website Politico Europe.

´We want to move forward with the defence partnership, but for many countries it is important to also solve other sensitive issues. That’s why I think it will be important to take steps also when it comes to fisheries and other topics,´ said Rosencrantz.

For countries outside the EU to benefit from the multi-billion euro investment promised in the EU’s new armament plan, formal security co-operation must be in place.
Negotiations with the UK are expected ahead of a summit that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa will hold with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in May.

An agreement is particularly important for Sweden, given the close links between the Swedish and British defence industries.
‘We want the UK to be part of this. We need to work together and it would be very very good to have a partnership,’ Rosencrantz told Politico.

Who gets to fish where and how much has been a bone of contention between the EU and the UK ever since the British withdrawal five years ago.

Cover photo: A French fishing boat on the border between French and British waters in 2021. Photo: Nicolas Garriga/AP/TT