Morocco’s government has welcomed the Fisheries agreement with EU, emphasizing the importance of the European Union as a strategic ally, stressing that cooperation with European partners is not limited to the fisheries sector.
“The fisheries agreement between Morocco and the European Union is satisfactory for both parties,” spokesperson of the Moroccan government Mustapha Baitas said on Thursday.
Baitas also welcomed the positive assessment of the 2019-2023 fishing protocol during a press briefing that followed the government council.
Assessment sessions are ongoing regarding the future of the fisheries deal between Morocco and the EU, Baitas added.
Concerns about the fisheries agreement were brought to light in the past few weeks as the protocol expired on July 17.
However, EU countries have long expressed satisfaction with the agreement, particularly Spain, which is optimistic about the future of the deal.
On July 17, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grane Marlaska stressed the importance of the EU fishing vessels and the essential nature of multidimensional and strategic cooperation between Rabat and Brussels.
The protocol for the renewal of the agreement with Morocco is “advanced since both the [European] Commission and Spain are working resolutely,” he said.
Last week, Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita also responded to questions about the future of the fisheries agreement.
According to the Moroccan FM, Morocco and the EU will determine the future of fisheries sector cooperation through comprehensive assessments, considering key parameters, including the preservation of national resources.
The now-expired fisheries agreement allowed a total number of 128 vessels coming from different countries, including Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany to operate in Moroccan waters.
Other countries benefiting from the fisheries agreement include Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, and the UK.
The first fisheries cooperation between the EU and Morocco dates back to 1995 and was the first strategic partnership between the EU and a third country in the fisheries sector.
