Brexit

Brexit Aftermath: EU to Stop Recognizing Falkland Islands as British Overseas Territory

The Argentine government asked for the Falkland Islands to be considered in dispute and not a British Overseas Territory.
Por Augusto Taglioni

Two days after finalizing an agreement for the United Kingdom towithdraw from the European Union, the EU announced that itwould stop recognizing territories under British rule. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought Brexit into force one dayafter signing a trade agreement with the EU that leaves outterritories such as the Falkland Islands. 

As per the agreement, "The territories included in the Treaty onEuropean Union, the Treaty on the Functioning of the EuropeanUnion and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic EnergyCommunity will apply (as well as to the United Kingdom)according to the conditions established in said Treaties. 

"This Agreement does not apply to overseas territories that havea special relationship to the United Kingdom: Anguilla, Bermuda,the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory,the British Virgen Islands, the Cayman Islands, the FalklandIslands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands (including Henderson, Oenoand Ducie), Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha,South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the Turksand Caicos Islands.

"This is part of a separation process on behalf of the UnitedKingdom, even though it does not recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. Looking forward this couldgive rise to conditions that alter European positioning withrespect to Argentina's claim over the Islands. 

LPO consulted with sources at the Argentine Ministry of ForeignAffairs who aired on the side of caution but still recognized that,"while it is not an outright victory, it is something we have beenproposing."On December 18, Minister of Foreign Affairs Felipe Solá, in hisposition of provisional president of Mercosur, spoke on the phonewith the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs Augusto SantosSilva. 

Solá asked Santos Silva to, "consider the Falkland Islandsas a territory in dispute after Brexit, and not as part of the BritishOverseas Territories".

This decision has a significant effect on the Islands' economies,especially with regard to the fishing industry since the per capitaincome on the Falkland Islands is greater than that of residents ofGreat Britain. Fishing constitutes 75% of islanders' income andthere are numerous Korean and Japanese boats as well as manySpanish vessels that fish for squid . 

Translation: Jesse Tomlinson