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International Agreements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2012

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Questions (497)

Seán Crowe

Question:

497. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, considering recent progress on an EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, he will guarantee that he will not support any move to allow this agreement to be signed during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, due to the reservations of the Sahrawi people who have been ignored in these discussions. [56841/12]

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Written answers

In January 2012, the EU Commission introduced a draft negotiating mandate for a new protocol for the EU Morocco Fisheries Agreement. The mandate sought to conclude a protocol which would oblige Morocco to comply with international law and to report regularly on its use of the funds for the population concerned, including the people of the Western Sahara. A Council decision of 14 February 2012 authorised the opening of negotiations with Morocco on a new protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement and subsequent contacts with the Moroccan authorities.

Ireland supported the opening of new negotiations subject to a joint statement with Germany and Slovenia to the effect:

Germany, Ireland and Slovenia would have preferred an explicit reference to Western Sahara in the mandate. Germany's, Ireland’s and Slovenia’s acceptance of the mandate does not, in any way, pre-empt our final position on any draft Protocol that will eventually be submitted for approval. The attitude of each of the above Member States to the draft Protocol will be determined by the extent to which the rights of the people of Western Sahara are protected in accordance with international law and the extent of the related reporting requirements that must be fulfilled by Morocco.

The first round of negotiations on new Fisheries Protocol with Morocco convened in Rabat on 7th – 10th November 2012 with the next round set to take place this week in Brussels, and a further round pencilled in for January 2013 in Rabat during Ireland’s Presidency. Ireland’s position in relation to the Western Sahara is consistent with and takes its lead from the UN position which wishes to broker a compromise and a way forward. Any decision on Ireland supporting the future ratification of new protocol to the FPA with Morocco will be made having due consideration to all issues and in particular the qualifications outlined in the joint statement.

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