Officials from Morocco are set to meet with their Spanish counterparts in an effort to reach an agreement over agricultural trade between the two Mediterranean countries, as controversy grows in Spain over Moroccan tomato imports.
At a press conference held in Almería, Spanish agriculture minister Elena Espinosa told reporters that Spanish representatives would address the concerns of the country’s tomato sector over EU negotiations with Morocco to update its agreement of association with the country.
The Moroccan authorities have agreed to open dialogue with Spain and are said to have promised to start work on a technical document that could be used as a future basis of further talks between the two countries, according to Europasur.
The promised talks came after the regional governments of Andalusia, Valencia, Murcia and the Canary Islands released a declaration calling on the Spain national authorities to ensure that the reform of the agreement of association did not prejudice Spain’s tomato industry.
The agreement to hold talks follows accusations that Moroccan tomato exporters breached European import conditions on seven occasions between mid-March and early April, in spite of assurances from Spain’s ministry of agriculture.
Andrés Góngora, general secretary of Coag Almeria told reporters last month that the shipments had taken place despite an assurance from Spain’s minister of agriculture, Elena Espinosa, in March that measures had been taken to tighten import controls.
Citing data obtained from the European Commission, Mr Góngora claimed that the tomato imports were continuing to take place at below the minimum price of entry – €0.46 per kilo – as established by bilateral treaty agreed between the EU and Morocco.
