The European Commission has adopted a recommendation that aims at obtaining authorisation from the Council to open negotiations for the conclusion of a new fisheries protocol between the European Union and Morocco. The current four-year protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement will expire on 14 July 2018.
In 2017 both EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella and the Moroccan Minister for Agriculture and Sea Fisheries Aziz Akhannouch expressed their intention to renew this instrument which is essential for both parties.
According to the EU Commission, an independent evaluation study underlines the positive impact of the current protocol in terms of sustainable fishing and its contribution to the socioeconomic interests of the fisheries sectors both in the EU and in Morocco.
‘In particular the sectoral support foreseen by the protocol, as support to the national Halieutis Strategy for the development of the fisheries sector, has benefited all regions covered by the protocol. The evaluation also highlights the clauses supporting economic development and benefiting local population, such as landings in ports and embarkation of local seamen, with about 200 seamen employed on board EU vessels,’ the EU Commission states
It is expected that the Council endorses the recommendation in the coming weeks so that negotiations can start immediately to ensure continuity and legal security for fishermen and industry at the expiry of the current protocol. About 120 vessels from eleven EU nations (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, The Netherlands, Ireland, Poland and United Kingdom) are concerned.
