Spain: Coag asks Brussels to stop Morocco agreement

COAG (Coordinator for Agricultural and Live-Stock Organizations) continues to intensify its work to pressure against the ratification of the commercial agreement between the European Union and Morocco. At the meeting of the European horticultural sector in Brussels, the state responsible for fruits and vegetables at COAG, Andrés Góngora, asked COPA-COGECA to get closer to all the deputes at the European Parliament in order have them refuse the new agreement.

Góngora highlighted that "at the moment, every vote is important and, we must explain to our Euro MPs, point by point, the serious impact on the economy of several regions if the agreement is renewed". Góngora added: "We can't advance to the commercial liberalization in the agricultural chapter with Morocco, while there are no assurances about the follow up, control and agreement and while there are no clauses about working, social and environmental conditions in Morocco".

COAG considers that the agreement consequences will be harmful, not only because of the damage to farmers and consumers in Europe, but also, among others, from an environmental point of view, due to the lack of respect for the environment in the exploitations in Morocco, from the social point of view, the problem about the workers rights in those exploitations; and from the international legality, by including fields in the Sahara Occidental, without any consideration for the population's wishes and without any clue if the benefits produced by the agreement are for them.

Because of all this, COAG will keep showing to Euro MPs, the need to position against the agreement ratification. The definitive voting will happen in the European Parliament, on the 16th of February, after the final debate on the 14th.

Source: COAG