Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives adopted unanimously on Monday draft law 1419 approving the Morocco-EU fisheries deal.
Morocco and the EU signed the agreement to renew the fisheries deal on January 14.
In addition to adoption of the bill, the House of Representatives adopted the Protocol of Implementation of the Agreement and the Exchange of letters relating thereto.
The “protocol, according to Maghreb Arab press (MAP), forms an integral part of the agreement signed between Rabat and the EU in Brussels.
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The exchange of letters relating to the agreement confirms that Morocco’s southern provinces in Western Sahara are an integral part of the kingdom.
MAP reported that both the EU and Morocco committed to developing sustainable finishing in the fishing zone on the basis of the principle of non-discrimination between the different fleets.
The agreement also aims to set up the framework for legal, environmental, economic and social governance of fishing activities carried out by the EU fleets.
The deal covers the fishing area from parallel 35 and Cap Spartel in northern Morocco to parallel 22 and Cap Blanc in southern Morocco, including the waters off Western Sahara.
The agreement specifies the fishing areas and access conditions for EU vessels. It also increases the EU’s financial contribution from the previous agreement’s annual payment of €40.0 million to €52.2 million.
