Spain maintains EU-Morocco fishers agreement as ‘priority’ for the country 

The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas said defending the fisheries agreement between Morocco and the European Union is a “priority” for Spain.

“The fisheries agreement is a priority for Spain, because of its importance for the fishermen of our country, especially for the fleets of Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Galicia,” Planas said  before the Spanish Senate.

Spain has 93 licenses of the 138 available in the EU, under different terms, he recalled, emphasizing the importance of the agreement for the future of partnership relations between Morocco and the EU.

The preservation of the agreement will continue to strengthen bilateral relations with Morocco, noted the Spanish minister.

He urged his government to defend the interests of Spanish fishermen who are in the Moroccan fishing areas.

“Today, we are working together to take all necessary measures to defend our interests”, within the framework of the EU-Morocco cooperation, which must be maintained from a strategic point of view, because it benefits both parties”, Planas concluded.

The European Court of Justice on Sep. 29  cancelled an Agreement on Agriculture and Fisheries with Morocco, based on an appeal submitted by the Polisario Front in 2019.

The applicant, Polisario, requested annulment of the contested decisions claiming to act ‘on behalf of the Sahrawi people.” It argued that approving the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, which applies to the waters adjacent to Western Sahara, exploits the territory’s natural resources, “without the consent of the people of Western Sahara” and encourages the policy of annexation of Sahara by Morocco.

According to the Council and the interveners, Polisario does not possesses legal personality under the national law of any Member State, however, the court finds that the Polisario Front is capable of conferring upon it locus standi before the EU Courts to present its case.