December 3rd, 2013

NAPO position on Morocco protocol

We present NAPO position on Morocco protocol.

EP vote: 10th December 2013

For the European fishing fleet it is very important that you vote in favour of the new Protocol to the Fishing Partnership Agreement with Morocco.

• Morocco is today the largest recipient of European Union funds under the European Neighbourhood Policy. Just a week ago the Commission has announced new support programmes under which Morocco will receive EUR 225 million. Aside of that, since 2007, the EU has contributed EUR 1.234 million to development of Morocco.
• Morocco is, according to Catherine Ashton, “a key partner in the EU neighbourhood”. She said that Moroccan Government was committed to an ambitious reform programme. She welcomed the positive steps taken recently to intensify our existing cooperation, in particular through the agreement of an EU-Morocco Action Plan 2013-2017; negotiations for a Deep & Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA); and the Mobility Partnership, signed June 2013.
• In this framework of co-operation, the proposed protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement plays an important role. It is one of the most important fisheries agreement of the EU. It gives employment to 1500 fishermen – including 500 Moroccans and it gives EU fleet access to fishing grounds of Morocco.
• The new Protocol sets out fishing opportunities which are important for a number of segments of the EU fishing fleet, especially demersal fishing for hake, tuna fishing and the small pelagic industrial fishing segment. At the same time the new Protocol safeguards sustainability and sound scientific advice as a basis for decisions on exploitation of marine resources.
• Concerns of some of the MEPs regarding respect for human rights in Morocco have been addressed in the new Protocol. We understand that there is a major discussion concerning the issue of Western Sahara but in view of deep co-operation with Morocco on other fields, it would be unreasonable to single out fishing relations as a victim of this unresolved issue.
• Declining to ratify the Protocol will not change the situation of Western Sahara but will have adverse effects on the EU fishing fleet.

Therefore, we count on you to help the EU fishing fleet and vote in favour of the new Protocol to the Fishing Partnership Agreement with Morocco.