Morocco-EU fisheries negotiations record no progress

Moroccan-European Union negotiations on a new fisheries agreement recorded no progress at the end of a meeting in Brussels Monday between Moroccan maritime fisheries minister, Said Chbaatou and European fishery commissioner, Franz Fischler.

Morocco is ready to help the EU settle some social difficulties related to fisheries but cannot help settle them all, Chbaatou said at a news conference at the end of the Monday meeting.

He recalled that Morocco has shown availability to conclude a new accord with the Union, but the latter's response has not unfortunately been up to the sacrifices made by Morocco, Chbaatou said.

A technical meeting held last Thursday had also failed to score any progress in negotiations on a new fisheries accord and secretary-general of the fisheries department and member of the Moroccan delegation had then said "positions remain divergent on the key items of the future accord."

The divergence concerns mainly the financial compensation EU should pay to Morocco and the fisheries possibilities offered by Morocco.

The previous Morocco-EU fisheries accord expired in November 1999. Morocco refuses to renew the accord under its previous formula in a bid to safeguard its depleting sea resources.