UK prepares navy ships in case of no-deal Brexit
December 12, 2020
The UK readied armed Royal Navy ships on Saturday to patrol its fishing waters in case the Brexit transition period ends without a free-trade deal on future relations with the European Union.
Four, 80-meter (260-foot) naval ships have been placed on standby to safeguard British waters from foreign vessels in the event that both UK and the EU decide to abandon efforts to secure an agreement on Sunday.
The ships will be allowed to stop, check and seize all EU fishing boats caught within the UK's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which can extend 320 kilometers (200 miles) from shore.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced that the vessels will be ready on January 1, to prevent possible clashes between EU and British fishing boats.
"The MOD has conducted extensive planning and preparation to ensure that defense is ready for a range of scenarios at the end of the transition period," a ministry spokesman said.
Existing transitional Brexit rules stipulate that EU vessels will have access to British waters until the end of the year.
'Illegal French fishing'
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "very, very likely" that the talks on a trade deal would fail and that the UK would return to World Trade Organization (WTO) terms with its largest single trading partner.
On Friday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said chances were now slim that a trade agreement would be reached.
Brexit-supporting Conservative MPs have consulted Johnson on deploying the British navy. Lawmaker Daniel Kawczynski said it would help "prevent illegal French fishing."
On Thursday, France's government announced that officials would seek to avoid any conflict at sea and that the country would compensate fishermen and find other solutions to assist them if talks collapse.
The UK exited the EU in January 2020, but remains an informal member until the end of the year. December 31, however, will mark the end of the transition period during which the UK has remained in the EU single market and customs union.
mvb/shs (AFP, dpa, Reuters)