EU-Morocco Fishing Deal in Jeopardy as Spain Braces for Economic Impact

The fisheries agreement between the EU and Morocco is due to expire on July 17 and its renewal is "very complicated". The negotiations to renew it will also be conditioned by a ruling that the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) is due to deliver in September, following a request from the Polisario Front. In 2021, the Court of Justice of the EU ruled in favor of the Polisario Front, arguing that the agreement with Morocco had been concluded without the consent of the Sahrawi people.

Spain is strongly concerned by this fishing agreement, with 93 of the 138 licenses granted by Morocco. The end of this agreement could therefore have a negative impact on the Spanish economy, forcing it to consider mitigation measures and aid for local fishermen.

The Spanish minister stated that he had met his Moroccan counterpart in Agadir, and that Rabat wanted to wait for the content of the European Court of Justice’s ruling and hear from the European Commission before making a decision. This therefore makes it very difficult to extend the protocol beyond July 17, the Spanish official expressed concern.

Spain and Morocco have concluded a series of bilateral agreements over the past 47 years, assumed by the EU since 1986, allowing Spanish vessels to fish in Moroccan waters. Over the past four years, Rabat has received 208.7 million euros in this regard.