Strasbourg, 17/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - As predicted, the European Parliament gave its approval on 16 May to the regulation setting out fishing rights for EU boats in Moroccan waters. The fishing agreement between the EU and Morocco, which enters into force on 1 June for four years, still has to be ratified on 22 May by European Fisheries Ministers. The EP adopted the amendments from the parliamentary committee responsible and rejected those of certain MEPs (EUROPE 9185 and 9190). By adopting the report of Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (EPP-ED, Spain), the EP has added certain provisions to take into account the political sensitiveness of the issue involving application of the Western Sahara Agreement. Therefore, the amended EP text authorises the Commission to immediately take measures to suspend the fishing agreement “in the presence of elements that prove that the way in which the agreement is applied contravene international obligations”. Amendments also allow for the possibility of allowing EU vessels, after scientific assessments of stocks, rights for fishing cephalopods and crustaceans (which is not possible under the new fishing agreement). Spanish Socialist Mabel Salinas said that this was a way of defrauding Spanish fishermen. Raul Romeva (Spain) and Carl Schlyter (Sweden), speaking for the Greens, on the other hand, voiced their indignation in a press release, “by approving the fisheries agreement with Morocco, which includes Western Saharan waters, the EP has supported what is clearly an illegal agreement. Morocco has no right to grant access to waters that do not belong to it…the Polisario Front has condemned the agreement, yet the EU has chosen to ignore it. The EU-Morocco agreement amounts to de facto recognition of the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara in exchange for rights to catch a few fish…last October, the Parliament adopted a resolution that called for …preservation of the natural resources of Western Sahara”. Pedro Guerreiro (GUE/NGL, Portugal), expressed similar views, affirming in a press statement, “Our group has maintained contact the Polisario Front…and they said that they were never consulted on any aspect of this agreement”.