Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations for the amendment of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement and conclusion of a Protocol with Morocco

Background and further information:

The Commission proposes to negotiate an amendment to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between the European Communities and the Kingdom of Morocco and to conclude a Protocol implementing this agreement that meet the needs of the Union fleet and are in line with Regulation (EU) No1380/2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy and the 19 March 2012 Council Conclusions on a Communication from the Commission on the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy.

This proposal is presented following the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union of 27 February 2018 in Case C-266/16 (Western Sahara Campaign) by which the Court holds that the waters adjacent to the territory of Western Sahara are not part of the fishing zone referred to in the Fisheries Agreement concluded between the EU and Morocco.