Brexit LIVE: Back off Brussels! EU issued ultimatum by Norway in tense ‘cod war’

Brexit: Sandell hits out at 'disgraceful' lack of Norway deal

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The row is centred on Svalbard in the Arctic Circle, a territory established in 1920 and is governed by Norway. The country also claims sovereignty of the archipelago’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for fishing within 200 miles and stresses they are responsible for setting quotas for all fish stocks within the region.

Oslo allocated 18,000 tonnes of cod for EU vessels for 2021 because of the UK’s departure from the EU, which reduced the bloc share.

However, Eurocrats are not happy about Oslo setting the quota’s and have allocated EU member states a cod quota of 29,000 tonnes for fishing off Svalbard.

This is contrary to Norway’s sovereign rights under the law of the sea, Oslo clams, which takes the EU’s unilateral quota setting very seriously.

As Norway prepares for a new Prime Minister in the coming weeks, both the incumbent Government led by Erna Solberg and a future Left Labour Government have made clear their message to the EU in dealing with the issue.

Audun Halvorsen, State Secretary in the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry stressed there was “no basis in international law for the European Union to set quotas in Norwegian waters.”

The Norwegian Government says it “noted the interest the EU has increasingly taken towards the Arctic.”

But it warns the EU’s action could have “foreign and security policy implications.”

The Labour party, led by Jonas Gahr Støre, who is expected to form a Government within weeks have also indicated they will maintain the pressure on status to respect Norway sovereignty.

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8am update: Welsh Cambrian Mountains lamb granted special UK Brexit status 

Welsh Cambrian Mountains lamb has become the latest food to be granted protected status in the UK following Brexit. 

The meat, from lambs born and reared in the Cambrian Mountains area of mid-Wales, has been registered under the Geographical Indication scheme.

It is intended to ensure popular and traditional products from across the country are recognised for their authenticity and origin, and therefore cannot be imitated.

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