UK, EU face arbitration over post-Brexit fishing rights

In a landmark post-Brexit legal battle, Britain and the European Union are contesting a UK ban on sandeel fishing in the North Sea at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The three-member tribunal will evaluate whether the ban violates the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), with a ruling expected by late April. While the financial implications are relatively minor, the case carries significant political weight as it could affect Britain's diplomatic relations with the EU. The UK government defends the ban as a necessary conservation measure to protect vital marine species, while the EU contends that it infringes on agreed fishing rights. Environmentalists support the ban, emphasizing the ecological importance of sandeels, but the outcome may provoke domestic pressures on the UK government from various factions. This arbitration marks the first courtroom dispute between the two sides since Brexit, setting a precedent for future negotiations.