Beaune sticks boot into Brexit

The war of words between UK ministers and France’s EU affairs minister, Clément Beaune, shows no sign of abating after Beaune told BFM that “Brexit has an impact on the British economy more negative than COVID, it’s written black and white.”

Paris and London are still yet to resolve a simmering row over granting fishing licenses allowing French vessels to access UK waters under the Brexit deal, a situation Beaune described as “absurd”.

The French minister, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, also suggested Northern Ireland benefited from its access to both the EU and single market under the Northern Ireland protocol.

“We’ve seen the shortages taking place in Great Britain, the problems in Northern Ireland are better because they have access to the European market,” said Beaune.

(Benjamin Fox| EURACTIV.com)