EC/Morocco Euro-Mediterranean association agreement

The Council on the basis of a Commission report, took stock of the negotiations and prospects for the conclusion of the Association Agreement with Morocco. The Council devoted more particular attention to the various components of the overall solution covering the agricultural sector and tinned sardines. In this context, it took note of the more detailed information provided by the Commission regarding the counter-concessions offered by Morocco. The Council noted that several delegations needed more time to assess fully the constituent parts of the proposed Agreement. At the same time, the Council noted the determination of all the Member States to do their utmost to ensure that negotiations with Morocco could very shortly be brought to a conclusion. With this in mind, the Presidency decided to suspend the Council meeting until Friday, 10 November 1995, emphasising that this was only a suspension and that the meeting would resume on that date. In the meantime, the Presidency and the Commission would continue their contacts with the various Member States and Morocco with a view to concluding the negotiations. The Council continued its discussions of 30 October on the various outstanding components of the negotiations with Morocco on an Association Agreement between the EU and Morocco. The Council focused in particular on certain problems relating to the agricultural sector and tinned sardines. At the end of the meeting, the Council reached agreement on an overall package that would make it possible to conclude the negotiations with Morocco. As a result, it called on the Commission to initial the Association Agreement on this basis. The Commission would also initial the new fisheries agreement with Morocco. The Council was very pleased that the negotiations had been completed at a time that was propitious for the success of the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona.