Flanders will use charter from 1666 to guarantee post-Brexit fishing rights Charter issued by England’s King Charles II from 1666 grants 50 fishermen from the city of Bruges ‘eternal access’ to British waters. By BARBARA MOENS
The Flemish government argues it can invoke a charter that dates back to 1666 to secure its right to fish in U.K. waters if there's no deal on fisheries before the end of the Brexit transition period.
Fisheries is one of the remaining sticking points in the negotiations between the EU and the U.K. on a future relationship. If there is no deal before the end of the transition period, the U.K. could theoretically cut off access to U.K. waters for EU vessels.
In that case, the government of Flanders plans to fall back on a treaty issued by England's King Charles II in 1666 that grants 50 fishermen from the Flemish city of Bruges "eternal access" to British waters.
"Our goal is to reach a negotiated deal," a spokesperson for Flemish Fisheries Minister Hilde Crevits said. "But if we don't reach a deal, we could invoke the charter. It dates back to 1666 but has been confirmed by a U.K. lawyer in 1820."
After seeking legal guidance, the government of Flanders has sent a copy of the charter to the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Source: Politico
ความคิดเห็น