EU says Morocco fisheries partnership agreement remains suspended

The European Commission said the European Union’s Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs), including the fisheries agreement with Morocco, are currently inactive, citing a range of legal, political and negotiation-related factors.

The clarification came in a written response signed by European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Kostas Kadis to a question submitted by Sieghard Frank Droese, a member of the European Parliament from the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group, regarding the status of EU fishing activities in the waters of partner countries.

According to the Commission, the reasons behind the suspension of certain fisheries agreements vary. In some cases, partner countries have been classified as “non-cooperating countries” in the fight against illegal fishing. In others, the inactivity reflects differing objectives and interests between the parties or delays in concluding negotiations over future protocols.

The Commission stressed that EU fishing vessels are required to halt operations in waters covered by inactive agreements under the bloc’s “exclusivity clause.” It added that EU vessels are also prohibited from signing private fishing arrangements directly with partner states once an agreement becomes inactive.

Brussels said it intends to address the future of these agreements within a new generation of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements expected to form part of a broader strategy due in autumn 2026, alongside the EU’s “Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture.” The initiative aims to balance ocean governance objectives with maintaining fair competition for European fishing fleets against non-EU operators.

The suspension of the Morocco-EU fisheries agreement has raised significant concerns among European fishing professionals, particularly in Spain. The agreement expired on July 17, 2023, without renewal after a ruling by the European Court of Justice annulled the fisheries deal between Morocco and the European Union.

The Spanish Fisheries Confederation, Cepesca, described the ruling as a major blow to the sector, especially in Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Galicia. Fishermen from Cadiz had long relied on Moroccan waters as a complementary fishing zone for species such as anchovies and sardines.

Cepesca argued that fisheries agreements between Morocco and the EU played an important role in supplying seafood products to Spain, Europe and African markets, particularly amid growing demand for affordable and healthy food products.

Javier Garat, former secretary-general of Cepesca and former president of Europêche, said the definitive cancellation of the agreement represented another serious setback for Spanish fishing fleets already facing mounting restrictions under EU regulations.

He added that the sector must now examine alternative scenarios, including the possibility of direct fishing permits, while emphasizing the need for urgent cooperation between Morocco and the EU to preserve future commercial and fisheries ties.

Before its expiration, the agreement allowed up to 128 European vessels, including 92 Spanish boats, to operate in Moroccan waters under annual fishing licenses.