30/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Debates start on EU/Morocco agreement. On Wednesday 30 October, the countries of the EU started discussions on the new EU-Morocco fishing agreement. COREPER has prepared the work to allow the Lithuanian Presidency to send a letter requesting the agreement of the European Parliament (in December) on the conclusion of the protocol. The debates on fishing possibilities and the financial contribution of the EU will come at a later date. As regards the signature of the agreement, some countries may oppose it (Sweden, for instance) or abstain: they are challenging the sustainability of the agreement, the cost-benefit ratio, and aspects related to the fallout of the agreement on the population of the Western Sahara. Some countries, such as France and Spain, are pushing for a rapid agreement and stress the importance of Morocco as a partner of the EU. (LC/transl.fl)