Members of the European Parliament are due to debate on Wednesday whether and how the EU should further respond to Prague’s allegations that Moscow was behind a 2014 ammunition depot explosion on Czech territory that left two dead. Russian military intelligence agents had allegedly targeted munitions stored there destined for sale to Ukraine by a Bulgarian arms dealer.
Leaders of the European Parliament main political groupings last week issued a statement condemning “another attack by people affiliated to the Russian state on a sovereign territory in the European Union” and calling “on all Member States and the European Council to show their solidarity by adopting strong, common and concrete measures towards Russia in response to this attack”.
| UPDATED: 16:00, Fri, Dec 18, 2020
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The Brussels diplomat said the row over fisheries is the “main hurdle” to finding a free-trade agreement in the coming days. Speaking in the EU Parliament in Brussels, Mr Barnier added: “We have little time remaining - just a few hours - if we want this agreement to enter into force on January 1.” The Frenchman told MEPs it would be “unacceptable” to sign any pact that doesn’t guarantee European boats fishing opportunities in the UK’s coastal waters.
Michel Barnier speaking in the EU Parliament (Image: EbS)
Mr Barnier said: “The path to an agreement is very narrow at a time when decisions need to be taken. That will also be a time for everyone to live up to their responsibilities.”
The EU’s Brexit chief signalled he was refusing to drop a demand that would allow Brussels to slap Britain with punitive tariffs if European trawlermen are largely locked out of our fishing grounds in the future.
He insisted that any trade agreement must include a distinct between Britain’s access to the single market and fishing opportunities in UK waters for EU vessels.