Rabat _ Agencies
The European Union (EU) and Morocco signed on Friday in Rabat two hundred million euros ("for social development ") Financing agreements in the Kingdom and a "competitiveness " in the private sector.
The agreements were signed by Moroccan Economy Minister Mohamed Benchabun and Austrian Commissioner Johannes Han, who is in charge of the European Neighbourhood and enlargement policy.
The EU delegation in Morocco announced that the first agreement, valued at about 100 million euros, will be allocated to the private sector, while the second aims at the same value to "Strengthen the social protection program."
The European official also held talks with Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
"Our visit is aimed at giving new impetus to relations between Morocco and Europe," Han said.
"Relations between Morocco and the European Union are very old, and today they are called upon to adapt these relations to the new circumstances," the Moroccan foreign minister said.
Relations between the two sides deteriorated at the end of 2015 after the European judiciary cancelled a bilateral agricultural agreement following a complaint by the Frente POLISARIO that the application of the agreement in Western Sahara constituted a "violation" of international law.
The European Court of Justice decided in 2016 that the agricultural agreement with Morocco was still in force but was not applicable in Western Sahara.
