Relations had already soured on a range of issues as Britain finalized its divorce from the European Union. At issue in Jersey are new licensing requirements the authorities imposed on French fishing boats, who have long worked the waters around the Channel Islands. The European Commission said the British government had notified it of the changes last week and that it was in discussions with London. “I don’t think that London and Paris want to start firing missiles across the Channel,” he said. France’s Europe minister, Clément Beaune, said Thursday that France also wanted a quick easing of tensions and the implementation of the Brexit trade agreement.

Source: New York Times May 06, 2021 10:26 UTC