The new EU-Morocco agricultural pact includes Western Sahara

CASABLANCA – Foreign Ministers of the European Union adopted Monday in Brussels their decision to adapt the badociation and agricultural agreements in Morocco that would include Western Sahara, thus bringing a new blow to the attempt to block the Polisario Front. 19659002] This measure was in line with the decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to overturn the Tribunal's decision in December 2016, concluding that the liberalization agreement did not apply to the territory of Western Sahara, according to a European source.

Rabat suspended its relations with Brussels in early 2016 after the EU court overturned the agreement in December 2015 on the grounds that it was illegally enforced in disputed Western Sahara.

The Polisario Front, a separatist group backed by Algeria seeking independence for Western Sahara, challenged the 2012 trade agreement. The EU in turn made appeal of the decision to overthrow the pact.

The decision of the EU Council strengthens the legal basis for exporting products from the southern provinces of Morocco to the EU with trade preferences and promotes the development of these regions. the same source.

The Council invited the European Parliament to adopt its decision as soon as possible, which will enable the EU "to continue strengthening its partnership with Morocco and to prepare the renewal of the fisheries agreement between the fishing agreement allowing 126 EU fishing vessels from 11 EU countries to fish in the Atlantic fishing zone in Morocco expired on July 14.

About 70 European fishing boats Still on the Moroccan coast, an ultimatum was given to leave the country after the expiry of the agreement.

Spain will be the country most affected because 49 vessels operate "We regret that the negotiators have not been able to settle an agreement with sufficient time to prevent the departure of the fleet from the waters in which" The fishing activity is conducted in the framework of the current agreement, "said Javier Garat, Secretary General of the C The Spanish Federation of Fisheries (CEPESCA)

"at the moment, the strategic nature of this agreement for both Europe and Morocco, it is a priority to put in place aid mechanisms that mitigate Negative socio-economic impact of this decline, "he added.