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Morocco-EU: Progress made in the implementation of the Mobility Partnership

Wednesday, 01 April 2015

The European Commission has made progress in the implementation of the Partnership for mobility, signed with Morocco in June 2013, said the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Following the establishment of the Partnership for Mobility, major projects funded by the EU were launched in the field of migration, while others are under development, Avramopoulos said in a written response on behalf of the European Commission to a question from an MEP.

"EU agencies and member states who signed the partnership began to coordinate their activities and discussions with the EU have intensified and deepened," he added.

The European Commissioner said that the objective of the partnership with Morocco is to help better manage the flow of people between Morocco and nine European signatories, adding that this partnership includes political commitments in order to "facilitate the use of legal migration channels, strengthen the capacity to prevent irregular migration and promote the positive impact of migration on development.”

The partnership with Morocco also includes a commitment to negotiate and conclude a parallel visa facilitation and readmission agreement, he continued.

Avramopoulos had previously stated that the EU would support a€ 10 million migration policy and asylum project by Morocco which will be launched later this year. He said that the EU is already supporting the efforts of Morocco in the area of ​​migration through the Sharaka project, launched in September 2013 and endowed 5 millions.

Sharaka aims to improve links between migration and development, labor migration and reintegration of returning Moroccans in Morocco. It also aims to help Morocco develop, in cooperation with European countries. It also promoted a better access of Moroccan workers in the European labor market, to improve services to Moroccan migrants who wish to resettle in Morocco and better capitalize on the positive impact of Moroccan skills abroad.

Morocco has launched in September 2013 a new immigration and asylum policy to ensure full respect for the rights of migrants. It is the first country in North Africa to have a real immigration policy and to increase efforts to support the integration of both newly regularized migrants as recognized refugees.

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