Norway reaches fisheries agreement with UK ahead of Brexit

Norway and Britain have reached a bilateral agreement on fisheries, the Norwegian government said on Wednesday, before Britain leaves the European Union’s single market at the end of the year.

The framework agreement, which takes effect on Jan. 1, will govern control measures, licences and research, and also facilitates a mutual exchange of quotas and access to each other’s waters, the Norwegian government said in a statement.

While Norway is not a member of the EU, it is integrated into the bloc’s common market and must thus negotiate separate post-Brexit trade relations with Britain.

Britain formally left the EU in January but London and Brussels are seeking a new trade deal before a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December.

Negotiations between Britain and the EU have stumbled over fisheries, fair competition and how to settle disputes.

The deal between Norway and Britain will be signed in London on Wednesday, the Norwegian Ministry of Industry and Fisheries said.