Islands ‘will not be forgotten’ during Brexit
GUERNSEY and Jersey’s relationship with Europe will remain as it is throughout the period of the UK implementing its exit from the European Union, Deputy Lyndon Trott has confirmed.
In the wake of the news that the UK has agreed terms for this transition period with the EU, the Policy & Resources vice-president said that the Channel Islands will not be forgotten.
‘The implementation period of the draft withdrawal agreement that the European Council will consider later this week includes the Channel Islands in the territorial scope,’ he said.
‘This will maintain the status quo in terms of our Protocol 3 relationship during that implementation period.’
Deputy Trott is due to give the States an update on Brexit today, but ahead of his speech he told the Guernsey Press that the States will have to look at the agreement once it is completed. ‘The States Assembly will need to consider the whole of the withdrawal agreement when the full text has been finalised later in the year,’ he said.
The transition period is due to begin on ‘Brexit Day’ – 29 March next year – and conclude on 31 December 2020.
Within the transition agreement is a deal that will see the UK’s share of fishing catch being guaranteed during that period, but there is still a question mark over what Brexit will mean to Guernsey’s fishing industry.
Guernsey Fishermen’s Association president Deputy Barry Paint has said he was hopeful that the UK would keep in mind the island’s fishing interests as the Brexit process moves forward.
It was, he said, essential that the island continued to be allowed to sell fish in France. ‘The majority of our fish is sold in France – if we can’t get rid of our produce, it will kill the industry.’
Sea Fisheries, which has been included in all discussions with UK authorities about Brexit, has previously said it was important that market access was maintained once the UK left the EU.
Deputy Paint said he had not heard anything recently that has indicated what, if anything, is being done to ensure the island’s situation post-Brexit, but his view is that the island should be talking directly to France over its concerns regarding quotas and the landing of fish in the country.
