The EU-Morocco fisheries agreement remains in force until its expiry date set for July 2018, said Morocco’s Agriculture and Fisheries agreement in a comment following the verdict of the European Court of Justice (ECJ)The agreement remains valid and European vessels will continue to operate in Moroccan waters, including off the Sahara coasts until the termination of the agreement in July 2018, Aziz Akhannouch made it clear in a statement to the press. He said the verdict does not prohibit fishing in the coasts of the southern provinces, the Sahara. He also noted that the verdict does neither mention the Polisario nor does it recognize the Algerian-backed and hosted puppet state, SADR. Akhannouch added that negotiations between the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry and the EU will be conducted to renew the agreement. Following the ECJ verdict, Morocco and the EU expressed in a joint statement willingness to safeguard and bolster their partnership as well as to negotiate a new fisheries deal upon expiry of the current agreement.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 28, 2018 17:03 UTC