Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EU and Morocco

SUMMARY OF:

Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the EU and Morocco

Decision 2000/204/EC, ECSC — on the conclusion of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the EU and Morocco

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The aims of the agreement are to:

• provide an appropriate basis for political dialogue between the EU and Morocco, allowing the development of close relations in all areas they consider relevant to such dialogue;
• establish the conditions for the gradual liberalisation of trade in goods, services and capital;
• promote trade and the expansion of harmonious economic and social relations, notably through dialogue and cooperation, so as to foster the development and prosperity of Morocco and its people;
• encourage integration of the Maghreb countries by promoting trade and cooperation between Morocco and other countries of the region;
• promote economic, social, cultural and financial cooperation.

The decision concludes the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

The agreement comprises 8 headings.

• 1.
  Political dialogue

  Political dialogue and cooperation between the parties is to be further developed, in particular to:

  • improve relations through the development of better mutual understanding and regular coordination on international issues of common interest;
  • enable each party to consider the position and interests of the other;
  • contribute to consolidating security and stability in the Mediterranean region and in the Maghreb in particular;
  • help develop joint initiatives.
• 2.
  Free movement of goods

  • The parties are committed to gradually establishing a free trade area over a period lasting a maximum of 12 years.
  • The agreement sets out a process for reducing and removing customs tariffs and quotas on goods from both the EU and Morocco.
• 3.
  Establishment and services

  • Parties reaffirm their obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services, particularly the obligation to grant reciprocal most-favoured-nation treatment, i.e. to offer each other their most favourable trading terms, in the service sectors covered by that obligation.
  • The parties agree to widen the scope of the agreement to cover the right of companies from one party to establish themselves on the territory of the other and liberalisation of the provision of services by one party’s firms to consumers of services in the other.
• 4.
  Payments, capital, competition and other economic provisions

  • Current payments for current transactions must be made in a freely convertible currency.
  • Capital relating to direct investments in Morocco in companies formed in accordance with current laws can move freely and the yield from such investments and any profit accruing can be liquidated and transferred back out of the country.
  • Through consultation the parties aim to facilitate, when the time is right, the full liberalisation of the movement of capital between the EU and Morocco.
  • Both sides are bound by competition rules, based on EU law, relating to actions that may affect trade between the 2 parties.
• 5.
  Economic cooperation

  The agreement aims to support Morocco’s own efforts to achieve sustainable economic and social development.

  • Methods of cooperation include:
    • regular economic dialogue covering all aspects of macroeconomic policy;
    • communication and exchanges of information;
    • advice, use of the services of experts and training;
    • joint ventures;
    • assistance with technical, administrative and regulatory matters.
  • It covers a wide range of policy areas, including:
    • education and training;
    • environment;
    • regional cooperation;
    • scientific, technical and technological cooperation;
    • financial services;
    • transport.
• 6.
  Cooperation in social and cultural matters

  • Moroccan nationals working legally in an EU country must be free of any form of discrimination compared to nationals of the country concerned. EU nationals working in Morocco must be accorded the same treatment.
  • The parties will engage in regular dialogue on any social matter of interest to them.
  • The parties will undertake continuous cultural cooperation to help boost mutual knowledge and understanding.
• 7.
  Financial cooperation

  In addition to the areas already covered, cooperation will include:

  • facilitating reforms aimed at modernising the economy;
  • updating economic infrastructure, promoting private investment and job creation activities;
  • taking into account the effects on the Moroccan economy of the progressive introduction of a free trade area, in particular where the updating and restructuring of industry is concerned;
  • flanking measures for policies implemented in the social sectors.
• 8.
  Institutional and general provisions

  An Association Committee, established by the agreement, is responsible for the implementation of the agreement. The Committee meets at the officials level and consists of representatives of the EU and Morocco.

  An Association Council meets at ministerial level. Its main role is to examine any major issues arising within the framework of the agreement and any other bilateral or international issues of mutual interest

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 March 2000.

BACKGROUND

• The agreement is based on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (EuroMed) established between the EU and countries in the Southern Mediterranean.
• EuroMed is part of the EU neighbourhood policy.
• Negotiations for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Morocco were launched on 1 March 2013.

For further information, see:

• Morocco (European Commission)
• Euro-Mediterranean partnership (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Council and Commission Decision 2000/204/EC, ECSC of 24 January 2000 on the conclusion 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 (OJ L 70, 18.3.2000, p. 1)

Successive amendments to Decision 2000/204/EC, ECSC have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

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 — Protocol 1 on the arrangements applying to imports into the Community of agricultural products originating in Morocco — Protocol 2 on the arrangements applying to imports into the Community of fishery products originating in Morocco — Protocol 3 on the arrangements applying to imports into Morocco of agricultural products originating in the Community — Protocol 4 concerning the definition of originating products and methods of administrative cooperation — Protocol 5 on mutual assistance in customs matters between the administrative authorities — Final Act — Joint Declarations — Agreements in the form of an Exchange of Letters — Declaration by the Community — Declarations by Morocco (OJ L 70, 18.3.2000, pp. 2-204)

See consolidated version.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Commission Staff Working Document — Individual reports and info sheets on implementation of EU Free Trade Agreements — Accompanying the document — Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Implementation of Free Trade Agreements 1 January 2017-31 December 2017 (SWD(2018) 454 final, 31.10.2018)

Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, pp. 27-43)

Council Decision 2012/497/EU of 8 March 2012 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 (OJ L 241, 7.9.2012, pp. 2-3)

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 (OJ L 241, 7.9.2012, pp. 4-47)

Council Decision 2011/392/EU of 13 May 2011 on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco establishing a dispute settlement mechanism (OJ L 176, 5.7.2011, p. 1)

Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco establishing a dispute settlement mechanism (OJ L 176, 5.7.2011, pp. 2-15)

Protocol 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, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic to the European Union — Declarations (OJ L 242, 19.9.2005, pp. 2-35)

Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco concerning reciprocal liberalisation measures and the replacement of the agricultural protocols to the EC-Morocco Association Agreement — Protocol No 1 on the arrangements applying to imports into the Community of agricultural products originating in Morocco — Protocol No 3 concerning the arrangements applicable to imports into Morocco of agricultural products originating in the Community (OJ L 345, 31.12.2003, pp. 119-149)

Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco concerning certain amendments to Annexes 2, 3, 4 and 6 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 (OJ L 70, 18.3.2000, pp. 206-227)

last update 05.06.2019