EU and Morocco in negotiations following the judgment annulling the bilateral trade agreement
The Court of Justice of the EU has annulled the decision of the European Council in March 2012 on the conclusion of an agreement to liberalize trade in agricultural and fishery products between the Veintiocho and Morocco. The only sentence in the part relating to the territory of Western Sahara Tribunal. According to that court, the EU did not check whether the exploitation of resources had an impact on the population of that territory.
The resolution refers to a decision of the Council (EU) March 2012 on the conclusion of an agreement for reciprocal trade liberalization between Veintiocho and Morocco in the field of agricultural and fishery products. European judges considered that the Council, when the elements examined in connection with the agreement, “he was sure that there was no evidence of exploitation of natural resources of the territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan control that could be detrimental to their inhabitants and in violation of their rights.
They should have done so, said the sentence, “taking into account the fact that Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara is not recognized by the EU and its Member States or the UN, and the absence of an international mandate susceptible justify the Moroccan presence in the territory. ”
The chief diplomat of the European Union, Federica Mogherini said however that the bilateral agreements the EU has with Morocco are not affected by the judgment of the Court of Justice annulling the agricultural and fisheries trade agreement in the part relating Western Sahara. “The EU considers that bilateral agreements are not compromised. Confirms its commitment to the partnership with Morocco, which is a primary association in the southern neighborhood, “said EU High Representative.
In response, the European Union and Morocco will discuss the decision on the implementation of the agricultural and fisheries trade agreement concluded in 2012 between the EU and Morocco “while implementing the agreement adopted Western Sahara” under the bilateral Association Council in Brussels, which was attended by the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar. The sentence may endanger the fisheries agreement and deterioration in the current bilateral relations.
Source: Morocco Business
