CJEU : The fisheries agreement is valid but not applicable to the waters adjacent to Western Sahara

The Court of Justice and the European Union issued on Tuesday, 27th of February, the ruling regarding the fisheries agreement put into force since 2014. In its judgment, the European the highest court in the European Union in matters of European Union law concluded that «the 'Moroccan fishing zone' under the Protocol does not include the waters adjacent to the territory of Western Sahara».

In a communiqué made public on the same day, the CJEU stated that «neither the Fisheries Agreement nor the Protocol thereto are applicable to the waters adjacent to the territory of Western Sahara, the EU acts relating to their conclusion and implementation are valid».

For the record, the European Commission was given the go-ahead to start negotiations with Morocco regarding the renewal of the agreement.