Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to offer EU fishing fleets increased access to UK territorial waters.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was established when the UK left the EU. For fisheries, this provides full reciprocal access to exclusive economic zones, and certain access to territorial waters. This reciprocal access has a five-and-a-half-year adjustment period until June 2026. After June 2026, EU access to UK waters (and vice versa) becomes a matter for annual negotiation under the TCA, as is typical between coastal States.

We know that the EU want a new multi-year access agreement. The UK are happy to listen to what the EU have to say but we will protect the interests of the UK fishing industry and continue to fulfil our commitments to protect the marine environment.