By Chris Jones - 14th May 2006
EU fishermen are set to benefit from a lucrative deal with Morocco despite concerns over the North African country’s rights to the fishing grounds.
A four-year agreement will allow European vessels – mostly from Spain and Portugal – to fish in Moroccan waters, including those off the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
The former Spanish colony was invaded by Moroccan forces in 1975, and UN-led negotiations are still underway 30 years later to resolve the conflict there.
The fisheries deal was due to come into force in March, after six years of negotiations, but has been delayed by concerns from some member states – notably Sweden and Finland – that it is sending out the wrong message.
“The fisheries deal allows European vessels to fish in waters that are not legally controlled by Morocco,” a spokesman for the Swedish government told EUpolitix.
“We want to be sure that the agreement is in conformity with international law, and to include a rider saying that such an agreement does not mean the EU is endorsing Morocco’s rights to those waters.”
“We also want to make sure that any deal benefits the people of the Western Sahara, which is unclear at the moment.”
Sweden and Finland will jointly table a draft declaration for discussion at next week’s meeting of EU fisheries ministers, calling for such a rider to be included.
But with an agreement already reached in principle by EU ambassadors at last week’s high level Coreper meeting, the Swedes recognise that there is little chance of stopping the deal.
“We are considering voting against the agreement, but we know this is unlikely to achieve anything.”
Most other member states, and the European commission, do not believe such a statement is necessary. EU fisheries commissioner Joe Borg told the European parliament in February that the agreement would not prejudice international law.
“We hope that other member states will sign our declaration,” the Swedish spokesman said. “We believe there are other countries concerned about this issue.”
“But if nothing else we hope to kickstart a discussion on the issue, because there has been no debate about it so far.”
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