Danes sharpen knives in the battle for the “Norwegian Gannet” and want to take case to the European Commission

by
editorial staff

Norway’s position in the harvest vessel affair could harm Denmark’s interests in the Brexit negotiations, according to mayors. 

If Norway can protect their fishing industry with provisions on landings in the country before export, the British may demand the right to protect their fishing industry in the ongoing Brexit fisheries negotiations, writes Danish newspaper Borsen.

“There is a need for a solid Danish counter-attack,” said Arne Boelt (S), mayor of
Hjørring municipality, who speaks on behalf of Frederikshavn, Jammerbugt, Thisted and Morsø municipalities in the home of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. Hamlet said he that took “arms against a sea of troubles”.

“If Norway impunity can behave as in the Hav Line case, then there will created considerable political uncertainty about matters that have so far been rock-solid as part of EEA cooperation and in cooperation on the fisheries agreements between Denmark, the EU, Norway and the UK. The Government must raise the issue with the EU Commission, and the case must also be brought before the EFTA Court.

“The Government must deal with Norway hard and highlight in Brussels, among other things, that the Norwegian demand for landings in Norway is unacceptable. Denmark cannot capitulate, because then we are giving the British an argument for protectionism in the Brexit negotiations,” said fisheries policy spokesman for the Liberal Party, Torsten Schack, who will raise the matter with the country’s Fisheries Minister, Mogens Jensen.

In another, and opinion piece in Borsen, the newspaper’s commentator Morten Crone also referred to the article 17 of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s quality regulation, which falls outside the scope of the EEA Agreement.

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