MEP Elena Valenciano: Morocco, Key Country for EU

The renewal of the EU-Morocco farm and fisheries agreements will “strengthen further the very important strategic ties binding the two partners”, said, Thursday in Rabat, Elena Valenciano, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the European Parliament.

“Morocco is a key country for the EU”, affirmed the MEP at a press briefing held after meeting Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.

The meeting was an opportunity to underline the importance of the new EU-Morocco agricultural and fisheries agreements adopted lately with an overwhelming majority by the European Parliament, despite hostile campaigns by the Polisario and Algeria.

In her press briefing, Mrs. Valenciano affirmed that “the alliance sealed between the EU and Morocco will be very beneficial for both Moroccans and Europeans”.

The European Parliament had adopted with a large majority, on Jan.16 and Feb.12 in two separate plenary sessions in Strasbourg, the new EU-Morocco agriculture and fisheries agreements, that include the Sahara.

The EU has extensive ties with Morocco in trade, political and security matters. The Union is Morocco’s largest trading partner, accounting for 59.4 pc of its trade in 2017. The same year, 64.6 pc of Morocco’s exports went to the EU, and 56.5 pc of Morocco’s imports came from the EU.

Morocco is the EU’s 22nd trading partner representing 1.0 pc of the EU’s total trade with the world. Total trade in goods between the EU and Morocco in 2017 amounted to €37.4 billion.

Two-way trade in services amounted to €8.8 billion in 2016 with EU imports of services representing €5.2 billion and exports €3.6 billion.