European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen faced a battle on two fronts today as new rules blocking UK fresh shellfish exports came under attack from a French MEP and Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Mr Eustice branded an unexpected decision by the EU to impose barriers on live farmed shellfish that MPs suspect were designed to target the UK industry as “indefensible” .

Meanwhile, Pierre Karleskind, chairman of European parliament’s committee on fisheries, declared he is Britain’s “best ally”.

He said he had been urging the Commission to find a solution for imports of shellfish from the UK to the EU and stressed he was not satisfied with responses he had received so far from EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

Offering to work with Mr Eustice to resolve the dispute, Mr Karleskind told BBC’s Today show: “UK waters did not become dirty on December 31 at midnight... so this really does not add any sense.”

Mr Eustice said there is “no legal barrier” to prevent the trade and called on the European Commission to abide by existing regulations.