Brussels, 17/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 17 December, negotiators from Morocco and the EU signed a report bringing to a close the negotiations which were started nearly 4 years ago for a future agreement on improving the conditions for bilateral trade in products from the agro-food and fisheries sectors. The conclusion of the negotiations will be subject to the approval of the respective authorities.
The agreement provides for the reinforcement of the position of European exporters on the Morocco market, particularly in the sector of processed agricultural products, representing a major offensive interest for the EU, where full liberalisation will be phased in over the next 10 years, with the exception of pasta, for which product quantitative limits are planned. In the agricultural products sector, the agreement will allow the immediate liberalisation of 45% of the value of trade exports of the EU and 70% in 10 years' time. The fruits and vegetables, conserves, dairy products and oleaginous fruits sectors will enjoy total liberalisation. The fisheries sector will also be liberalised for EU products (91% in five years' time and completely within 10 years). Community exports of these sectors reached nearly 944 million in the years 2006-2008, and will enjoy better access to a nearby market with high levels of demographic growth, in the framework of an overall commercial balance which is largely in favour of the European Union, with 14 billion euros in exports, against 8 billion in imports.
The fruits and vegetables and conserve products sectors of the EU, with the exception of beans, almonds, potatoes and tomato concentrate (for which tariff quotas have been negotiated) will also be fully liberalised within 10 years. The access of EU dairy products to Morocco will be fully liberalised, with the exception of liquid milk and whole milk powder. Oleaginous fruit and cereals (with the exception of soft wheat, durum wheat and their derivatives) will also be liberalised.
For more sensitive products which will not be fully liberalised, such as meat, prepared meat products, wheat, olive oil, apples and tomato concentrate, Morocco has improved access conditions to its market in the form of tariff quotas. On the side of the European Union, the agreement aims to respond to the openness agreed to by Morocco, with the immediate liberalisation of 55% of imports from Morocco. Improved concessions in the fruit and vegetables sector, which constitutes 80% of the EU's imports, have taken account of particularly sensitive issues, with the aim of integrating Moroccan exports onto the market of the Union, promoting complementarity between the production systems. To this end, the production timetables have been kept in place for products deemed the most sensitive: tomatoes, strawberries, courgettes, cucumbers, garlic and clementines. Concessions agreed to for these products were made in the form of tariff quotas.
The two sides also agreed to open negotiations on the protection of geographical indications. Furthermore, the agreement includes provisions on the respective international obligations regarding sanitary and phyto-sanitary aspects.
In the framework of the euro-Mediterranean roadmap agriculture (Rabat roadmap), which was adopted on 28 November 2005, the European Commission and Morocco began negotiations in February 2006 to improve the existing agreement on the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, processed agricultural products, fish and fishery products. (L.C./trans.fl)