Morocco, UK Sign Post-Brexit Association Agreement

Morocco, UK Sign Post-Brexit Association Agreement
Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Dr Andrew Murrison and Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita.

Morocco and the UK have signed an “Association Agreement” to ensure that the two countries maintain their relationships unscathed when the UK leaves the EU.

The agreement was signed earlier t on October 26th in London by Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Andrew Murrison, the British State Minister for International Development and the Middle East. It stipulates that Brexit will not affect the “strategic relations” between Rabat and London signed under the broad umbrella of EU-Morocco relation.

4 instruments were signed :

  • An agreement establishing an association between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is in fact a global framework agreement restoring in the context of bilateral relations between Morocco and the United Kingdom, all the advantages they accorded each other in the framework of the Morocco-EU Association Agreement.
  • Two Agreements in the form of an Exchange of Letters, on the one hand, a dispute settlement mechanism and, on the other hand, a mutual agreement on access to the United Kingdom market for all products resulting inter alia from of the Moroccan Sahara.
  • A political declaration between Morocco and the United Kingdom.

While the 3 legal instruments are signed with a view to leaving the United Kingdom of the European Union, the fact remains that they do not prejudge the internal national debate in the United Kingdom Kingdom concerning "Brexit". Their entry into force is expected after the official release of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

On the other hand, these instruments make it possible to limit the impact of a Brexit, in particular on the economic and commercial relations between the two countries, and to turn this challenge into a real opportunity for the continuous development of our bilateral relations.

The transposition of the Association Agreement at bilateral level is a means of preserving all the political, legal, economic, sectoral and territorial gains achieved in the framework of the strategic relations between Morocco and the European Union.

With this agreement, the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union will not create any break in the bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Morocco. The agreement ensures a smooth transition, which maintains the fluidity of exchanges and guarantees their security.

The exchange of letters on the dispute settlement mechanism can be conceived as a preventive mechanism.

Similarly, the second exchange of letters allows products from all regions of Morocco, including Southern Provinces, to access the British market under the same conditions and without any discrimination whatsoever. The converse also applies.

The continuity and visibility necessary for economic operators, as well as the security necessary for the development of cross-investments are ensured. Similarly, the already effective complementarity between the economies of the two countries is consolidated.

Finally the signing of the agreement is part of a sequence of positive developments in bilateral relations and it provides an additional milestone for the relationship building dynamic.

The installation of the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries, instituted in 2018, the deepening of economic, cultural and academic relations and the strengthening of military and security cooperation are the driving forces of this ambitious partnership.

bottom-logo.png

Search