French Minister: Paris Will Ask EU Commission to Start Litigation Against UK Over Fishing Licences

French Maritime Minister Annick Girardin also said that France was still missing 73 fishing licences it requires to settle the conflict with London.

French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune announced on Friday that France has managed to obtain 93 percent of the post-Brexit fishing licences the country claims from Britain.

He also declared that they are going to ask the European Commission to apply further pressure on London, while French Maritime Minister Annick Girardin said that France was "still missing 73 fishing licences to settle the conflict with London," as Reuters put it.

The ministers addressed the media after holding a meeting with fishing representatives and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"The next step will be to ask the Commission in the coming days to convene the Partnership Council as provided for under the Brexit trade deal to settle a problem," said Beaune. "We will ask the Commission in the coming days to start litigation to obtain the licences we are entitled to."

While the EU and the UK have agreed to establish a licensing system to grant fishing vessels access to each other's waters following the Brexit, France insists that it has not been given the full number of licenses it is due, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, the UK argues that "only those lacking the correct documentation have not been granted," the media outlet adds.