Elspeth Attwooll, on behalf of the ALDE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, the ALDE Group has continuing difficulties with the whole range of third country fisheries agreements, although we acknowledge that the new partnership model is an improvement on what went before. The agreement with Morocco creates particular problems, given the situation of the people of Western Sahara.

Whilst the prevailing legal advice is that the agreement is not, on the face of it, in contravention of international law, there is a clear risk of the breach of peremptory norms in its implementation. That is why, at committee stage, we proposed amendments intended to build safeguards into the regulation. These make approval of the agreement subject to its being operated in conformity with international law, insist on that operation being closely monitored and require a suspension if there is evidence of breach. As included in the report, these provisions afford protections that would otherwise be sadly lacking. We are grateful to the rapporteur for his sensitivity to the issues and for the compromise reached, as also for the support afforded to the whole set of amendments in committee.

I know, however, that many colleagues would have preferred a different outcome. I would like to reassure those who are uneasy about the mention of Western Sahara in the recital that it only recognises the fact of occupation and does not in any way imply its legitimacy. I can understand, too, the motivation of those who would like to see the waters adjacent to Western Sahara excluded from the agreement altogether, but I have to point out that this would have the paradoxical effect of depriving its people of the right to any financial benefit from the agreement, whilst not actually giving them greater security with regard to natural resources.

I conclude, though, by saying to the Commission and the Council that, however Members of this Parliament individually approach tomorrow’s vote, concern for the people of Western Sahara is felt across Parliament as a whole. Please take heed of that.