The Council today adopted a decision on the conclusion of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco, the related implementation protocol and the exchange of letters accompanying the agreement, thereby paving the way for its future implementation.

This adoption follows the consent given by the European Parliament on 12 February 2019 and formally marks the last step on the EU side. However, before the agreement can enter into force the Kingdom of Morocco also has to complete its internal ratification process.

The 4-year protocol implementing the agreement allocates fishing opportunities for the EU in exchange for an overall financial contribution of € 208 million euros. A substantial part of this contribution will be used to promote the sustainable development of the fisheries economy in Morocco and the Western Sahara fisheries sector.

The agreement takes into account the judgment of the European Court of Justice of February 2018 in case C‑266/16.