Morocco–European Union relations
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The main legal ties between Morocco and the EU are set by the 2000
Legal ties between Morocco and the European Union
Diplomatic relations between Morocco and the European Union date back to 1960, when a commercial agreement was concluded with the European Communities. In 1976 a first co-operation agreement was signed.
At the 1995
The beginning of King
With the inauguration of the European Neighbourhood Policy and of the Union for the Mediterranean, Morocco and the EU have drafted and adopted an ENP Action Plan in July 2005, delineating the next steps of cooperation. Under the Neighbourhood Action Plan Morocco has embarked on a major effort to align itself on the legislation and standards of the EU. This should enable it to gradually advance the possibilities offered by the Neighbourhood Policy, and in particular progress beyond the existing relations towards a significant degree of integration; this includes allowing Morocco to participate in the single market and taking part gradually in EU programmes. This will require a great effort by Morocco to create the necessary legislative and institutional conditions. This ambition is reflected in Morocco's advanced status with the EU which is "more than association, less than accession".
With the Advanced Status granted to Morocco on 13 October 2008, the partnership acquired a high-level political cooperation level.[1] The first EU-Morocco summit took place on 7 March 2010.[2][3][4]
Bilateral agreements
Fisheries agreements (the latest being the 2006 EU–Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, FPA) have been periodically signed between Morocco and the EU since the 1980s, allowing European vessels (especially Spanish and Portuguese) to fish in Moroccan waters in exchange for a monetary contribution.
Since 2000 Morocco and the EU have signed many bilateral agreements. Various agreements of free trade that Morocco ratified with its principal economic partners like the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area agreement. The two sides recently announced plans to extend their Free Trade Agreement to cover not only goods, but also agriculture and services, giving Morocco almost the same deal with Europe as member states have with each other. Those agreements are parts of the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area signed in Barcelona, Spain in 1995.
Morocco and the EU have also signed an
In 2017,
Membership application
In 1987, Morocco applied to join the
Human rights
On 19 January 2023, the European Parliament condemned Morocco for the first time in 25 years, as it called on the country to respect media freedom and to release all political prisoners and jailed journalists, notably the case of Omar Radi.[10][11][12][13][14] On 23 January, the Moroccan Parliament voted to review ties between the European Parliament calling it “an unacceptable attack against the sovereignty, dignity and independence of judicial institutions in the kingdom.”[15][16][17][18]
Economic cooperation
Morocco tops the list of partners that benefited from the European Union's financial support as part of neighbourhood assistance, receiving about €205 million in 2009[19] (€654 million for 2007–2010).[20] In order to help the country in this new statutory phase in bilateral relations, the EU will increase aid for the period 2011–2013.
In December 2009, the EU granted Morocco a donation of MAD 771 million (US$100 million) to promote investments and exports, and contribute to the financing of the
Financial protocols (1977–1996)
Under the four financial protocols of the 1976 Cooperation Agreement's own resources. The protocols gave sectoral priority to rural development (46%). Other sectors of activity were, in order of importance: economic infrastructure (17%), the social sector (15.6%), the private sector (10%), vocational training (10%) and civil society (0.4%).
MEDA programme
The Meda programme (adopted in July 1996) is the EU's principal financial instrument for the implementation of the
Meda cooperation touched all socio-economic spheres in Morocco. Several structural adjustment programmes were set up in essential sectors such as
In the period 1996–2006 Morocco received financing totalling approximately €15 million under horizontal EU budget lines, in particular Meda democracy, the environment, LIFE, the ECIP, the fight against AIDS, NGO cofinancing, and the fight against drugs, plus €10 million under the budget lines for the 5th and 6th Framework Research, Technology and Development Programmes, in which more than 160 Moroccan teams participated.
Political cooperation
In 2006 the
In 2008, Morocco was the first country in the region to be granted advanced status, which makes it a pioneer in the European Neighbourhood Policy. The agreement constitutes a "roadmap" which widens the sphere of EU-Morocco bilateral relations by setting out new objectives in three main areas: closer political relations, with the holding of a periodic EU-Morocco summit and the establishment of consultation mechanisms at ministerial level; integration of the single market on the basis of gradual adoption of the Community acquis and sectoral cooperation; and a focus on the human dimension.
The first EU–Morocco summit was held March 7, 2010. It was the first of its kind between the EU and an
Issues
Human rights was an issue that curved Morocco–EU relationships for decades. Now, many European officials have lauded the efforts Morocco has made in the human rights field.
Another hot issue concerns territorial disputes. In July 2002, there was a skirmish between Spain and Morocco during the
The Western Sahara conflict has always been on the agenda. Morocco has long been seeking a formal European recognition of its claimed rights over the disputed territory.
On 17 May 2021, an
Morocco's foreign relations with EU member states
See also
- Economy of Morocco
- Enlargement of the European Union
- Foreign relations of the European Union
- Foreign relations of Morocco
- Human rights in Morocco
- Mediterranean Union
- Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest
- United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
External links
- The EU's relations with Morocco – The European Commission website
- Morocco-Spain railway tunnel (news item concerning the Strait of Gibraltar crossing)
References
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- ^ "EU-Morocco: Summit to Strengthen Relations in 2010". ANSAmed. 7 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-12-23. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
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- ^ Pitchers, Christopher (2023-01-19). "MEPs vote to condemn Morocco for first time in 25 years". euronews. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- ^ CRESPO, María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ, Michal ŠIMEČKA, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Javier NART, Georgios KYRTSOS, Urmas PAET, Hilde VAUTMANS, Ramona STRUGARIU, Svenja HAHN, Klemen GROŠELJ, Karen MELCHIOR, Katalin CSEH, Dragoş PÎSLARU, José Ramón BAUZÁ DÍAZ, Vlad GHEORGHE, Evin INCIR, Pedro MARQUES, Thijs REUTEN, Adam BIELAN, Anna FOTYGA, Ryszard CZARNECKI, Carlo FIDANZA, Angel DZHAMBAZKI, Karol KARSKI, Assita KANKO, Elżbieta KRUK, Elżbieta RAFALSKA, Bogdan RZOŃCA, Witold Jan WASZCZYKOWSKI, Anna ZALEWSKA, Tineke STRIK, Fabio Massimo CASTALDO, Miguel URBÁN. "JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of journalists in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi | RC-B9-0057/2023 | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
{{cite web}}
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