Meda cooperation has affected all Moroccan socio-economic areas. Several structural adjustment programmes have been implemented in key areas such as finance, taxation, water, transport, health, education, public services, as well as partnerships and exchanges of services such as customs, the environment, youth, transport and justice. Investment programmes have been implemented to support business development, vocational training in tourism, textiles and information and communications technologies, the development of national road transport such as the Mediterranean Rocade and the rural network, integrated development of rural infrastructure and sanitation and water programmes in rural areas (PAGER) , measures to combat unhealthy habitats to eliminate slums and improve access to social infrastructure. Meda funds have also been allocated to migration to promote better management of migration flows. Financial cooperation also focused on protecting the environment and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms. THE EFTA states signed a free trade agreement with Morocco on 19 June 1997 in Geneva, Switzerland. The agreement came into force on July 1, 1999. In 2008, Morocco was the first country in the region to benefit from advanced country status, making it a precursor in European neighbourhood policy. The agreement is a „roadmap“ that broadens the scope of bilateral relations between the EU and Morocco by setting new targets in three main areas: closer political relations, a regular EU-Morocco summit and the establishment of consultation mechanisms at ministerial level; integration of the internal market on the basis of the gradual adoption of the Community acquis and sectoral cooperation; and a focus on the human dimension. The fisheries agreements (the most recent is the 2006 EU-Morocco Partnership Agreement) have been regularly signed between Morocco and the EU since the 1980s, allowing European vessels (particularly Spanish and Portuguese) to fish for a monetary contribution in Moroccan waters. The Meda programme (adopted in July 1996) is the EU`s main financial instrument for the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Meda`s budget amounted to 3.4 billion euros for the period 1995-1999 and 5.4 billion euros for the period 2000-2006. Morocco became the main beneficiary of the Meda programme, with a commitment of 1.472 million euros for the year 1995-2006, of which 660 million euros under Meda I (1995-1999) and 812 million euros under Meda II (2000-2006).
[15] In 2017, Federica Mogherini, the European Union`s foreign minister, caused controversy and diplomatic confusion over her statement that Morocco`s trade agreements with the EU would not be affected by the 2016 Court of Justice ruling on the volume of trade with Morocco. The ruling confirmed that bilateral trade agreements, such as the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, only cover agricultural and fishing products originating from Morocco`s internationally recognised borders, which explicitly excludes all products originating in Western Sahara or its territorial waters. The international community, including the EU, unanimously rejects Morocco`s territorial claim to Western Sahara. [5] [6] [7] [8] The European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Etefan Fole, visited Morocco in January 2012. He said that he was very pleased with the progress of the reforms and that the country was moving in the right direction, but that some improvements still needed to be made and that the nation was currently working on them. The overall aim of the negotiations is to create new trade and investment opportunities and to ensure better integration of the Moroccan economy into the EU internal market.
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