The new agreement, which includes the Western Sahara, will start in 2019 and will allow a fishing quantity of 275 000 tonnes for the EU, during four years. The EU and shipowners will pay for fishing in the african territorial waters. Western Sahara, with a strong vocation for fishing, will have important benefits. European Greens and Left are against, supporting the opposition of the Polisario Front.

By Paolo Licandro

Click here for the EU-Morocco Agreement (all EU languages)

The last protocol with the Kingdom of Morocco expired on 14 July 2018. The new protocol gives EU vessels access to the waters covered by the agreement and the protocol in force, and to the adjacent waters of the non-autonomous territory of Western Sahara.

The EP Plenary rejected a request from the Greens and the Left to refer the agreement back to the EU Court of Justice for an opinion on its compatibility with EU Treaties by 189 votes in favour, 410 against and 36 abstentions.

The new agreement will include:

275 000 tonnes of Moroccan fishing quantity
164 EU vessels
153.6 million euro the financial contribution to Morocco and Western Sahara (EU+fees payable by ship-owners

The EU fishing industry is the world's 4th largest, supplying some 6.4 million tonnes of fish each year. Fishing and fish processing provide jobs for over
350 000 people.

The EU has the world’s largest number of commercial ports, 1,200, and largest merchant fleet. 90% of trade with non-EU countries and 40% of trade within the EU is seaborne. This sector represents roughly 5.4 million jobs and generates a gross added value of almost €500 billion a year.

Paolo LICANDRO
paolo.licandro@eeuropa.org

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