MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the agreement between the EU and Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures on agricultural products and fishery products (2012/2522(RSP))
8.2.2012
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure
José Bové, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Yannick Jadot on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0047/2012
B7‑0047/2012
European Parliament resolution on the agreement between the EU and Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures on agricultural products and fishery products (2012/2522(RSP))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the draft Council decision (15975/2010),
– having regard to the draft 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 (15974/2010),
– having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Barcelona process, launched in 1995, led to Association Agreements between the European Union and around a dozen Southern Mediterranean countries, with the aim to enhance dialogue and cooperation and thereby establish an area of peace, security and stability;
B. whereas the Rabat roadmap, established in 2005, changed the focus of the cooperation, privileging the creation of free trade over balanced development of all pillars, which led to a singling out of the trade pillar of the AA's for further liberalisation processes,
C. whereas the key concern for EU trade policy towards countries on the Southern side of the Mediterranean basin should be the provision of measures to improve peace, security and stability via regional integration, production upstream the added value ladder, and local consumption;
D. whereas the Arab Spring has shown that democratic shortcomings have to be addressed first in any policy area between the EU and the Southern Mediterranean countries;
E. whereas efforts in this respect should be underpinned by trade relations which first and foremost take into account Morocco's economic and rural development needs, while preserving the marine environment, avoiding the depletion of fish stocks as well as preserving the rural environment, in particular via a sound water management and the avoidance of large mono-cultural plantations;
F. whereas sustainable job opportunities should be enhanced in Morocco's agricultural, fisheries and related sectors, emphasizing the important role of family and peasant farming, respecting labour rights and seeking to widen the food processing industry, thus increasing job opportunities in higher qualified and better paid jobs;
G. whereas special attention should be paid to the gender aspect, providing for ever more decent jobs for women, promoting solutions to combine family life and work for men and women;
H. whereas the fruit and vegetable sector is of considerable importance in many rural regions of the Southern countries in the European Union, particularly in Spain and France, where the economic and social crisis has reached worrying dimensions;
I. whereas a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) that DG Trade commissioned to the Manchester University on the subject of a fully fledged Free Trade Zone in the Mediterranean predicts rather growing social hardships and unsustainable environmental stress in the first ten years of its existence;
J. whereas the protocol to the EU fisheries agreement with Morocco was rejected the 14 December 2011 by the European Parliament;
K. whereas Western Sahara is not part of Morocco and shall neither ex- nor implicitly be included in any agreement the EU signs with the Kingdom of Morocco; and whereas the ECJ has affirmed that the Union is bound by international law in all its actions, and the inclusion of Western Sahara into the agreement would be in breach of international law;
1. Stresses the urgent need for the Commission to develop a fully fledged strategy to cope with the shortcomings of the Barcelona process so far, taking into account the challenges of the Arab Spring, which has startled the region in 2011, but is still far from having accomplished its initial aims;
2. Suggests to concentrate efforts on the strengthening of regional integration and the fostering of democratic policy space, when taking economic and trade decisions; and on the improvement of added value chains inside the different countries allowing for the generation of decent production and consumption patterns;
3. Considers as key points for successful trade relations the creation of a level playing field with particular respect for the weaker stakeholders, the protection of natural resources, adequate payment for producers, just salaries and sustainable jobs, thus bringing stability to local markets and preserving the environment;
4. Expresses its concern that according to latest UNICEF reports 1.5 million children of school age are still denied their right to education, and that child labour particular in rural areas continues, and that growing export oriented production could undermine any effort to stop this unlawful practice;
5. Underlines the further need for carefully conducted Sustainability Impact Assessments before further liberalising trade with the countries of the Southern basin of the Mediterranean, to avoid any hardships, as they might jeopardise the Arab Spring;
6. Is convinced that in accordance with international law, Western Sahara has to be explicitly excluded from the realm of any agreement the EU concludes with Morocco, while opening the door for separate agreements with the Western Sahara people, if wished so by it;
7. Invites the Commission to renegotiate its agreement for liberalisation of the agricultural and fisheries sector with a view to adapt the envisaged measures to the needs of sustainable economic and social development with enhances regional integration;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to forward this resolution to Commission, the Member States, and the Government of Morocco.