The European Parliament adopted by 544 votes to 123, with 33 abstentions, a resolution on the future Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial compensation provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Morocco.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D and ALDE groups.

Members stress that the current Protocol has a clearly unsatisfactory cost-benefit ratio as a result of the low rate of utilisation of the negotiated fishing opportunities , overfishing and a failure to address ecological and social issues. They highlight that any future Protocol to be negotiated by the Commission must address the serious problems related to the previous and current protocols and should seek to achieve economic and social objectives, on the basis of close scientific and technical cooperation.

Parliament calls on the Commission to move the negotiations on a new Protocol forward in order to rule out any situation in which the Protocol has to be applied provisionally because Parliament has not yet given its consent .

It calls on the Commission to:

ensure that any future Protocol is economically, ecologically and socially sustainable and mutually beneficial; ensure that the principle that EU vessels may only be granted access to surplus stocks is adhered to in all future Protocols; there must be a rigorous assessment of all stocks; ensure that under the future Protocol fishing opportunities are adjusted in line with scientific advice and stock assessments and with fishing-sector needs; ensure that any future Protocol contributes to the development of the Moroccan fisheries management system , including control and surveillance, scientific research, development of local fleets, training, etc.; ensure that the sectoral support is more effectively utilised, and insists that monitoring must be more effective; believes that the Fisheries Partnership Agreement must include effective oversight mechanisms to ensure that funds earmarked for development, and in particular for infrastructure improvements in the fisheries sector, are used properly; take any steps required in order to obtain the necessary data on the implementation of the Protocol and thus make the legislative procedure more transparent; introduce in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement a clause on compliance with human rights ; ensure that the future Protocol fully respects international law and benefits all the local population groups affected; respect the interinstitutional framework agreement and the European Parliament's role, in accordance with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty.

Lastly, Members call on the Commission to provide Parliament with a detailed written report outlining the degree to which Parliament's wishes have been taken into account in the future Protocol.