PURPOSE: the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the EU and Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures on agricultural and fishery products, the replacement of Protocols 1, 2 and 3 and their Annexes and amendments to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an EU-Morocco association.
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2012/497/EU on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures on agricultural products, processed agricultural products, fish and fishery products, the replacement of Protocols 1, 2 and 3 and their Annexes and amendments to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part.
BACKGROUND: Article 16 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, which has been in force since 1 March 2000, provides for the gradual implementation of greater liberalisation of reciprocal trade in agricultural products, processed agricultural products, fish and fishery products.
In July 2005, the EU-Morocco Association Council adopted an Action Plan of the European Neighbourhood Policy including a specific provision having the objective of the further liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, processed agricultural products, fish and fishery products.
On 14 October 2005, the Council authorised the Commission to conduct negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco within the framework of the Association Agreement, in order to achieve that objective. On 14 December 2009, the Commission concluded negotiations on behalf of the Union in respect of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with the aim of amending the Association Agreement.
The Agreement should be approved on behalf of the EU.
CONTENT: under this Decision, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the EU and Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures on agricultural and fishery products, the replacement of Protocols 1, 2 and 3 and their Annexes and amendments to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an EU-Morocco association is approved.
It relates to technical changes in order to provide for measures in the following areas:
- sanitary and phytosanitary measures,
- the approximation of technical standards,
- the harmonisation of legislation, and
- the protection of geographical indications.
Safeguard measures: provisions are made for the laying down of the procedure to be followed when the Union has to introduce safeguard measures in regard to the agricultural products, fish and fishery products, covered by the Association Agreement.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision enters into force on 8 March 2012. The Agreement will enter into force once the necessary procedures to this effect have been completed.