The European Commission has welcomed the news of the ratification of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) by the Kingdom of Morocco.

The agreement will enter into force immediately and will run for a period of 4 years.

The EU/Morocco FPA is a mixed agreement which covers six categories of fisheries, providing fishing opportunities on pelagic species and small pelagic and demersal species, for vessels ranging in scale from artisanal to industrial.

In return, the annual EU financial contribution will be €36,100,000, of which over a third (€13,500,000) is earmarked for support to the Moroccan national fisheries policy. In addition to the financial contribution from the EU, a payment of approximately €3,400,000 is expected from European ship owners in the form of licence fees.

A joint committee will be established, notably to agree a multi-annual sectoral programme for fisheries and to monitor its implementation. A meeting of the Joint Committee will be held on Thursday 8 March, in Rabat. This agreement is an important part of the EU bilateral fisheries agreements. It will strengthen the relations in the fisheries sector between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco. The last fisheries Agreement with Morocco expired in 1999.