The fifth negotiating session between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco for the renewal of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement and its Protocol concluded 20 July 2018. Both parties will now proceed with their respective legislative processes to ratify the agreement. The Moroccan fishing zone includes waters in the Sahara region (art. 1). Following the previously reported CJEU Decision on this issue, the European Commission states the text that is negotiated provides for strict provisions on the geographical and social distribution of benefits. The Sahrawi delegate minister for Europe responded “neither Western Sahara nor the waters adjacent to it are part of Morocco or its exclusive economic zone”.
For more information see the press releases of the EU (2), Morocco and Sahara Press Service.
De Maribus 