The lack of consensus was generated by countries like India, which already disrupted the WTO negotiations in 2017. Back then, India blocked everything, including a possible deal on eliminating subsidies that fuel illegal fishing. In 2022, it is worth noting that India rejected the WTO agreement aimed at addressing subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing, the primary focus of this year’s negotiations.

Currently, the same country was seeking the adoption of a 25-year moratorium on subsidies granted by fishing nations to their long-distance fleets. Some South Pacific countries and Brazil sought to capitalize on the situation by also attempting to scrutinize the European Union’s fishing agreements with third countries, even though these partnership agreements cannot be classified as subsidies. These countries have employed this strategic approach to apply maximum pressure on developed fishing nations, aiming to obtain additional exemptions and derogations for their fleets. However, thanks to the EU’s robust defense, backed by its Member States and allied countries, their efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Europêche recognizes the pivotal role played by both EU and national authorities in Abu Dhabi and actively promotes the pursuit of a deal as part of the EU fishing industry commitment to sustainably manage our oceans. However, the sector maintains that there is still room for improvement and advocates for greater clarity in the text to safeguard the interests of the European fishing sector. Our primary recommendations are as follows:

• Clarifying the text and explicitly exempt Sustainable Fisheries Agreements with Third Countries (SFPA) to prevent confusion and future issues.
• Introducing additional provisions, such as force majeure, to allow aid in cases of exceptional and unforeseen circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic or conflicts such as the war in Ukraine. Without such provisions, the EU may encounter challenges in implementing temporary aid frameworks to support fisheries during crises.
• Explicitly excluding tax exemptions for fishing fuel from the text to avoid ambiguity.
• Setting a minimum common denominator of subsidy scrutiny applicable to all nations, with possible enhanced levels of scrutiny on major fishing nations. Massive derogations to developing countries would not only fail to benefit the oceans but also disrupt a global level playing field.
• Establishing a common definition of artisanal fishing to avoid deceptive practices. In the present text, the definition and thresholds are left to the discretion of individual governments, and some developing countries may try to deceptively exclude their industrialized fleets, classifying them as artisanal.

Press contact:

Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche: +32 489 26 81 07 | daniel.voces@europeche.org

EP Press Release – Reaction WTO failure fish subsidies

The Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission analysed the Court decision in depth, particularly the socio-economic consequences and trade disruptions that a possible fisheries partnership agreement annulment would bring about. All parties agreed on the positive role played by such agreement for both parties throughout the years, including the population of the Sahara, as well as its fundamental contribution to advance in the sustainable management of fishery resources. In this vein, the sector representatives considered crucial the continuation of a fisheries partnership between the EU-Morocco.

The meeting allowed industry representatives to review other major areas of common interest in which the EU and Morocco are working together, which include regional fisheries, governance and neighborhood policies.

The Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission announced a presential meeting early next year in Europe  where they plan to present a roadmap for 2022.

About the Joint EU-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals

The Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission of Fisheries Professionals was created in February 2018 between the European fisheries organizations that are part of Europêche and by the Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Federation of Morocco (FPMA) in order to promote the business relations between both parties, propose measures to improve the fluidity of commercial exchanges and defend common interests. Since 2011 exists as well the Joint Spanish-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals.

Press contacts: 

Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche: +32 2 230 48 48 daniel.voces@europeche.org

Commission Maroco-Européenne del Professionnels de la Pêche Press Release – Meeting

The Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals has expressed its concern and caution regarding the ruling of the General Court of the EU that annuls the decisions of the Council in relation to the sustainable fisheries partnership agreement with Morocco. Both parties recall that the agreement will remain in force for at least two months (period provided for lodging an appeal), or until the date of delivery of the judgment of the Court ruling on any such appeal.

According to the sector, after that period of time, and in the worst-case scenario, the decision would be a severe blow to the EU fishing fleet since the current fishing agreement contemplates fishing authorisations for a total of 128 EU vessels.

However, the Joint Commission asks all parties to remain calm, both to politicians and professionals, and asks them to maintain the climate of friendship and good relations that exists to date, as well as to seek solutions to the problems that may arise as a result of the ruling. In this sense, the Joint Commission underlines the intense cooperation between Morocco and the EU in the framework of the neighborhood policy.

The Joint Commission has pledged its commitment to continue strengthening business relations and maintaining mutual support, as it has done since its creation. In this sense, for the members of the Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals, “the fisheries agreement between the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco has proven to be extremely positive for both parties, including the population of the Sahara, as well as fundamental to advance in the sustainable management of fishery resources. We can only hope that both parties can resolve the situation and that the good cooperation between Morocco and the EU in fisheries can continue in the future”.

 About the Joint EU-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals

The Joint Euro-Moroccan Commission of Fisheries Professionals was created in February 2018 between the European fisheries organizations that are part of Europêche and by the Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Federation of Morocco (FPMA) in order to promote the business relations between both parties, propose measures to improve the fluidity of commercial exchanges and defend common interests. Since 2011 exists as well the Joint Spanish-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals.

EP and Euro-Moroccan Commission of Fishing Professionals Press Release – General Court ruling Morocco