The European Commission has told EUROPE that no discussion between the parties has as yet been held on renewing the fisheries partnership agreement between the European Union and Morocco (see EUROPE 11652).
The EU will launch an ex post and ex ante evaluation study of the EU-Morocco fisheries protocol. The conclusions of this study will then be evaluated by the Commission. Thereafter the Commission will ask the Council to grant it a mandate to open talks with Morocco on renewal of the fisheries protocol. Negotiations could begin around the middle of 2017.
The current agreement is for the period from 2014 to 2018. It authorises 126 European boats, including 99 Spanish vessels, to fish in Moroccan waters. In return, the EU makes an annual payment of €30 million, €14 million of which is for the development of the Moroccan fisheries sector. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)