Spanish growers have been demonstrating in Granada as they call on the EU not to ratify a trade deal with Morocco at a summit in the southern Spanish city, which started on Sunday.
Producers from all of Spain’s principal growing regions were present, protesting against the liberalisation of Moroccan fresh produce exports to the EU, which they claim would put in at risk their livelihoods and hundreds of thousands of Spanish jobs.
Producers’ associations Asaja Murcia, Coag and UPA were all present.
Asaja Murcia secretary general Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca said: “We are demanding that the European Parliament and the European Council do not ratify this treaty with kingdom of Morocco, or at least not without including clauses which make it less damaging to Spanish interests. For example, compensatory measures for those producers affected by market liberalisation.”
Growers claim that Moroccan producers do not meet the same environmental, food safety, plant health and labour standards as they do.
