France says the EU's No Deal plans will damage its shipping interests – and demands they're axed
A BITTER war of words broke out between France and Brussels last night as No Deal planning sparked a major EU bust up.
In a furious letter to Eurocrats, Paris demanded EU contingency plans are ripped up as they do not protect French shipping interests.
They blasted a Brussels plan to exclude France from a new "sea corridor" linking Ireland to the Continent after Brexit if Britain leaves without a deal.
French officials fear ports at Cherbourg, Brest and Roscoff could lose out on millions in EU funding if they're left off the emergency route.
And they are begging EU officials to boost traffic to much bigger Calais and Dunkirk which stand to lose out badly from a no deal Brexit.
Transport minister Elisabeth Borne fumed: "The geographical proximity between France and Ireland makes these obvious connections with the internal market."
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Earlier this month the EU Commission published plans to lay on extra shipping lines between Dublin and Cork and ports in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Currently almost all freight travelling between Ireland and the rest of the Europe is sent through the UK, presenting a major headache for the EU.
However, exporters have warned him that longer sea journeys around Britain will take too long and will lead to food rotting on the way.
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