Morocco, EU agree on gradual liberalization of agriculture trade

Morocco and the European Commission initialled here Friday an agreement on mutual liberalization of agriculture products trade which will be enforced as of December 2003.

For Moroccan tomatoes exports, the agreement will be applied retroactively starting October 1st, a source close to European Commission's Morocco mission said.

The source also said that the agreement will be signed in Morocco at a date to be set.

For Franz Fishler, the European commissioner in charge of agriculture, the accord marks a "genuine headway" and a "well-balanced arrangement." The mutual opening of markets will benefit both Morocco and Europe as European tomato producers will finally have a clear exposure on the conditions and volumes of tomato imports into the EU.

The agreement crowns one year and a half of hard talks between negotiators.

The two parties had reached end of September an agreement on Moroccan low-duty tomato exports to the Union, which will amount to 190,000 tons this year, and 220,000 tons in four years.

In exchange, Morocco will import 0.4 million to one million tons of low-duty European wheat, depending on national production.

Moroccan fruits and vegetables producers and exporters have voiced satisfaction with the agreement, which "does not meet our expectations at 100% but provides better exposure for the years to come in terms of investment, production and upgrading." The association of fruits and vegetables producers has voiced in a release "confidence in the future" concerning the agriculture component of the Moroccan-European association accord.