Brussels, 28/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 28 April, the European Commission called on Morocco to conclude its procedure to ratify its fishing agreement with the EU as soon as possible. On 16 December 2013, the EU concluded its own procedure to adopt this partnership agreement, the Moroccan Parliament ratified the text in February, but the King of Morocco has still not signed to finalise the ratification procedure. In the meantime, EU vessels which should be able to fish in Moroccan waters by virtue of the agreement are still not able to go about their business due to these delays. Spanish fishermen, who benefit most from these arrangements, have spoken out against this delay in the strongest possible terms.
Hélène Banner, the spokesperson to Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki, told EUROPE that the European Commission “is in touch with the Moroccan authorities. We have had no explanations (about the delay). There has been no fishing protocol between the EU and Morocco for two years now and there is no reason, in our view, to wait any longer”. “The lack of completion by Morocco of its own internal ratification process, preventing the fishing activity to resume, is regrettable”, the spokesperson added, quoted in a press release.
The agreement aims to allow 126 vessels from 11 countries of the EU to fish in Moroccan waters. The new agreement will apply for a period of four years from the date of its entry into force. The financial contribution paid by the EU in exchange for access to Moroccan waters will be €30 million a year, and fishing possibilities will increase by 33%, mainly due to an increase for the industrial pelagic fishing category (which rises from 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes). Spain's great regret is the exclusion of vessels targeting cephalopods.
No links to agricultural issues. Additionally, Moroccan Minister for Agriculture Aziz Akhannouch stressed on Thursday 24 April that there were no links between the EU-Morocco fishing agreement and the agricultural agreements between the same two parties. The minister wished to scotch rumours that Morocco was holding up the entry into force of the fishing agreement due to the changes the EU has made to the access price regime for Moroccan fruit and vegetables on the EU market (see other article). (LC)