Channel Island governments vote in favour of UK/EU trade agreement

Additional meetings of the States Assemblies were called after the UK and the European Union reached a deal on Christmas Eve. Credit: PA Images

All Channel Island governments have voted in favour of the UK/EU trade agreement and the sea fisheries regulations.

States members in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark met on Sunday (27 December) to consider the Channel Island's involvement in the Brexit trade agreement.

Additional meetings were called after the UK and the European Union reached a deal on Christmas Eve.

The States of Guernsey have voted unanimously in favour of the propositions. The island's Chief Minister Deputy Peter Ferbrache says the Brexit trade agreement reached is "a much better deal" than he anticipated a few weeks ago.

Jersey's government has yet to see the full details of the UK’s deal, however, it has negotiated a 90 day "cooling off period" which will allow the island to withdraw its consent if the full details significantly change the government’s interpretation.

It will supersede the Granville Bay Agreement and "bring an end to joint management of Jersey’s waters".

Under the deal, French vessels will be licenced by Jersey’s government.

Those wishing to apply for a licence to fish in Jersey’s waters will have to meet criteria and prove "historic" activity of fishing in the jurisdiction between 2017 and 2020.