EU hopes to resume Morocco trade talks

The European Union ambassador to Morocco Robert Joy said the EU hopes to resume talks over the signing of a comprehensive free trade agreement with Rabat, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking during a press conference, Joy said: “The European Union hopes to set a timetable for the resumption of negotiations between the two sides.”

“We believe that a comprehensive free trade agreement is key to strengthening economic relations and enhances Morocco’s ability to compete,” he said.

Joy pointed out that the “agreement aims to facilitate the gradual integration of the Moroccan economy into the European Union markets, through liberating the movement of goods, services, capital and others.”

Morocco and the European Union decided last July to postpone the fifth round of negotiations on the free trade agreement which were launched in April 2013 until Rabat completed studies on sectors which would be covered by the agreement, noting that the results of these studies would be taken into account during the talks.

The official said the EU wants to make further progress in the free trade agreement negotiations this year as well as in the field of operations to facilitate the movement of people.

Morocco and the EU signed a free trade agreement that came into force in 2000 as well as a special free exchange of agricultural products agreement that came into effect in 2012.