B4-0325 and 0328/94

Resolution on the fisheries agreement with Morocco

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3954/92 of 21 December 1992 on the fisheries agreement with Morocco, which was to last four years from 1 May 1992 until 30 April 1996,

-having regard to its opinion of 15 December 1992 on the proposal for a Council regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement on relations in the sea fisheries sector between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Morocco and laying down provisions for its application (COM(92)0296),

-having regard to its resolution of 10 February 1994 on human rights violations in Morocco and Western Sahara,

A.whereas Morocco, following the official proposal made by the Commission, and on the basis of the promise to renegotiate the fisheries agreement, reducing its life by one year, began to issue licences only on 15 October, leading to an unjustified delay of more than 25 days, except for boats using mono-filament nets,

B.whereas the cost of the agreement to the European Union is considerable in terms of financial compensation (ECU 408.4 m) and trade concessions, whereas the Community has already paid the compensation for the period 1994-1995 ending on 30 March 1995, and whereas Community shipowners have complied with the requirement to purchase fishing licences,

C.whereas the agreement is of major importance to those European Union fishermen who have no alternative source of income, and whereas the fishing communities involved face serious economic, social and financial consequences,

D.whereas relations between the European Union and Morocco have traditionally been good, and whereas the Community, for its part, wishes to improve cooperation in the future,

E.whereas the most recent talks between the Commission and the Moroccan authorities seem set to produce a mutually acceptable solution,

F.whereas the Commission acceded to the Moroccan request to reduce the life of the current agreement to three years and to open without delay fresh negotiations for its renewal,

G.whereas on 14 October the European Community approved a draft negotiating mandate covering the termination of the current agreement on 30 April 1995 and the negotiation of a fresh agreement,

1.Deplores this incident and hopes that future actions in connection with the agreement will be conducted in accordance with international law;

2.Calls on the Commission to lay down the criteria and principles to govern the forthcoming negotiations and keep Parliament constantly informed of the state of play; calls for the new agreement to cover waters under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Moroccan authorities and to include an authorization to carry out scientific research with a view to assessing fish stocks;

3.Calls on the Commission to lay down in the new agreement very clear guarantee rules to cover breaches of the agreement signed;

4.Calls on the Commission to take proper account of conservation and resource management problems by ensuring that the biological provisions agreed apply without exception to all the fleets, including the Moroccan fleet, for a period not exceeding a month, a month to be chosen from among those during which species in the waters concerned reproduce, and to earmark appropriate subsidies for the vessels concerned;

5.Calls on the Commission to ensure that the Moroccan authorities comply with all the requirements laid down in the existing agreement;

6.Calls on the Commission to put forward as soon as possible proposals to assist the conversion of boats using mono-filament nets to multi-filament nets;

7.Calls on the Commission to grant appropriate financial compensation to the European Union shipowners and fishermen left idle as a result of the Moroccan decision;

8.Calls on the Commission to involve a delegation from Parliament's Committee on Fisheries in the negotiations on the new fisheries agreement with Morocco;

9.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the Moroccan authorities.