Spain’s Coordinator of Agricultural Organisations (COAG) has pledged to intensify its campaign against the ratification of the new EU-Morocco trade deal in the European Parliament, with the final vote due in early February.
Despite Spanish and European growers having suffered something of a setback after the Parliament’s trade committee voted to back the agreement of association, COAG said it would renew efforts to bring more MEPs over to their cause.
As well as holding its own meetings, the Spanish association also urged European agricultural organisation Copa-Cogeca to “do whatever is necessary” to convince MEPs to reject the trade deal.
In a statement, COAG’s head of fresh produce, Andrés Góngora, said: “At this stage, every vote is important and we need to explain point-by-point to our MEPs the serious consequences that ratifying the agreement will have for the economies of many regions (of Europe).
“We should not move ahead with agricultural free trade with Morocco while there are no assurances that it adhering to and complying with the agreement that is already in place and until it includes clauses covering employment, social and environmental conditions in Morocco.”
Góngora added that COAG would continue during the coming days to convey to MEPs “the need to take a stand” against the ratification of the EU-Morocco accord.
The final vote on the new agreement of association is expected to take place at a session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg around 16 February.
