The Diplomat
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, believes that, “realistically speaking”, there will not be time before 17 July, the date on which the current EU fisheries agreement with Morocco expires, to negotiate a new one.
Speaking to journalists in Cádiz, Planas recalled that there are only six weeks left until the current agreement between Brussels and Rabat expires, and added that “it seems that, unfortunately, there will not be time to negotiate a new one”.
The European Commission confirmed yesterday that there are no negotiations for the renewal of the agreement, pending the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU), which is expected by the end of this year, in relation to the appeal lodged by the European Council for the annulment of the protocol agreed by the Court as it affects Saharan waters without having consulted the Saharan population.
“When the current protocol expires, unlike four years ago, a new one will not have been negotiated”, the minister lamented.
Without an agreement, once the current one expires, the fishing fleet operating in Moroccan fishing grounds will have to suspend its activity. This will particularly affect Spain, since 92 of the 138 licences that fish in the area correspond to its flag, specifically the Andalusian, Galician and Canary Islands fleets.
Planas, who continued to urge the European Commission to reach an understanding with Morocco, guaranteed that the affected shipowners and fishermen would be supported by the Spanish government in view of the consequences that they could have after 18 July.
Asked about the demands of the fishermen of Barbate (Cádiz) for a neighbourhood agreement between Spain and Morocco, Planas recalled that only the European Commission is authorised to sign agreements with third countries in this area.
