In the latest chapter of a 15-year-old battle between Brussels and Paris over fishing, the European Commission has fined France for failing to prevent French fleets from catching under-sized fish. Paris said it would appeal against the
fines. The Commission said France had not followed a European Court of Justice ruling last year.

The Commission imposed a more than 57 million-euro payment on France for every six-month period from the July 2005 decision, until it complied with its obligations. Paris called that measure seriously disproportionate. It has two months to launch an appeal but will have to pay the seasonal fine up front regardless of the outcome.

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