Morocco and the European Union
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Morocco is a neighbouring and associated country of the European Union. The relations between the two are framed in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the Union for the Mediterranean. Among the ENP countries, Morocco has been recognised an advanced status, opening up to high levels of political cooperation.
The main legal ties between Morocco and the EU are set by the 2000 Association Agreement. Several other agreement cover sectoral issues, including the 2006 EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement and the 2006 Open Skies agreement.
Diplomatic relations between Morocco and the European Union date back to 1960, when a commercial agreement was concluded. In 1976 a first co-operation agreement was signed.
At the 1995 Barcelona conference the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was inaugurated, establishing a policy with ambitious and long-term objectives in the fields of the political and security partnership,the economic and financial partnership and cooperation in social, cultural and human affairs.
The beginning of King Mohammed VI's reign marked a major shift toward more cooperation, comprehension and partnership. To develop the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation, the Union and Morocco have set up the EU-Morocco Association Agreement. This document, dated 1 March 2000, is the legal basis for relations between Morocco and the EU.
With the inauguration of the European Neighbourhood Policy and of the Union for the Mediterranean, Morocco and the EU have drafted and adopted an ENP Action Plan in July 2005, delineating the next steps of cooperation. Under the Neighbourhood Action Plan Morocco has embarked on a major effort to align itself on the legislation and standards of the EU. This should enable it to gradually exploit the possibilities offered by the Neighbourhood Policy, and in particular progress beyond the existing relations towards a significant degree of integration; this includes allowing Morocco to participate in the internal market and taking part gradually in EU programmes. This will require a great effort by Morocco to create the necessary legislative and institutional conditions. This ambition is reflected in Morocco's advanced status with the EU which is "more than association, less than accession".
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Wikipedia