The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, welcomed the European Parliament’s vote in the evening of Wednesday, 16 January to amend the Association Agreement.
These amendments aim to reduce customs duties in the territory of Western Sahara to the same level as those in Morocco, for the benefit of local populations (see EUROPE 12173), in response to the 2019 judgement of the EU Court of Justice (see EUROPE 11694).
“We are here to celebrate the positive outcome [of the vote] and to relaunch the partnership in all areas: political, security and economic”, Mr Bourita summarized to the press in Rabat.
The same is true for Ms Mogherini, who, after a meeting with the Head of Government, Saâdeddine El Othmani, considered that Parliament's agreement “opened a new period of relaunching the partnership between the EU and Morocco”. “I am convinced that we can relaunch the partnership on a new basis, give new impetus, write a new chapter in an already long and beautiful history”, she added at a press briefing with Mr Bourita. The first agreement between the EU and Morocco dates back to 1969.
The High Representative also expressed the EU’s support for a process launched under the auspices of the UN for a solution to the question of Western Sahara.
According to the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Europeans and Moroccans have “decided to reactivate all the mechanisms and work hand in hand to revitalise the partnership and to have a concerted contribution in the forums that bring them together in Africa, the Mediterranean or the Arab world”. “We hope for a qualitative leap in our relationships to build a regional partnership”, added Ms Mogherini. The latter hoped that an association agreement between the EU and Morocco would be concluded in the spring.
Asked about the place of migration in the bilateral relationship, Ms Mogherini clarified that it was not the “only or most important” issue. “We approach this issue as partners, to have equal cooperation”, she explained. Arrivals in Spain by Morocco doubled in 2018 with 57,000 entries. Last December, the EU announced nearly 140 million euros in aid to Moroccans to help them cope with migration, of which 30 million euros has already been disbursed (see EUROPE 12160).
The High Representative also underlined the EU’s “interest and intention” to “support and accompany the Moroccan government's reflection work on the country's development model in the most effective way possible”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)