WASHINGTON: The European Union's (EU) new proposal for bilateral trade with Morocco designed at increasing agriculture and fisheries production has left animal rights activists worldwide frustrated. According to the new agreement, it would allow the immediate liberalization of 45 percent of EU exports in terms of value and would rise to 70 percent over the next decade. The fishing industry would also see a 91 percent liberalization after five years and 100 percent after 10. Activists have called on the EU to re-examine the trade policy, saying that the continued fishing in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean has seen fishing populations decline dramatically. “We cannot continue to treat our natural environment as a place where people can do whatever they want or face the results of destruction and depletion,” Jonathan Tsikata, a Ghanaian animal rights leader, told Bikya Masr from his home in Accra. He argued that while Africa is behind on trade and development, it “should not come at the cost of our natural environment or it will have dramatic consequences in the coming future.” Tsikata pointed to overfishing in North Africa as a prime example of how governments must act now to save the environment. “It is a stark reality that we face and for the EU to simply go forward on these projects will hurt local economies in Africa,” he added. As part of the agreement, the EU will give Morocco increased access to the European market in products such as unprocessed fruit and vegetables. Already, 80 percent of EU imports from Morocco. European Commission officials claim that this new deal will be advantageous for EU exports of processed products, as Morocco's increasing middle class is developing a market for such items, reports Reuters. “The agreement will allow both parties to take full advantage of changing consumption and market potential, while reinforcing cooperation and safeguard mechanisms,” said a statement released by the Commission. According to the EU Food and Beverage Industry Group, the CIAA, EU exports to Morocco totaled EUR 358 million in 2008, having grown 43 per cent since 2000. In global terms, the overall trade balance between 2007 and 2009 was favorable to the EU, with exports of EUR 12.3 billion relative to imports of EUR 7.3 billion. The agreement is set to go through the European Parliament for approval. For activists and environmentalists, they view it as a political game being played by Europe. Johan Kuyt, a Dutch environmentalist, told Bikya Masr in Washington that without governmental policy protecting marine life, “the world will see a major shortfall in the next few years as overfishing continues to take its toll.” He questioned why fishing is not protected and curtailed in order “to make it sustainable for generations to come.” BM
