AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN

1.1.  The 113^th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA" or the "Committee") was convened in Airgram _WTO/AIR/RTA/39/Rev.1 dated 6 June 2025.

1.2.  Under Agenda Item 7.5, the CRTA considered the Agreement establishing an Association between the United Kingdom (UK) and Morocco, goods (hereinafter "the Agreement"). The Chair stated that the Factual Presentation had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility in full consultation with the Parties, in accordance with paragraph 7(b) of the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements (document _WT/L/671).

1.3.  The Agreement had entered into force on 1 January 2021. The Parties had notified the Agreement to the WTO under Article XXIV:7(a) of the GATT 1994 as an agreement establishing a free trade area for trade in goods (document _WT/REG429/N/1). The text of the Agreement and its Annexes were available on the Parties' official websites and in the WTO RTA database. The Factual Presentation (document _WT/REG429/1) and the Questions and Replies (document _WT/REG429/2) had been distributed.

1.4.  The representative of Morocco delivered the following statement:

1.5.  Thank you, Chair, and let me also thank the Secretariat for the Factual Presentation. Since its entry into force in January 2021, the Agreement establishing an Association between Morocco and the United Kingdom has marked an important step in consolidating the bilateral partnership between our two countries, following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union. The objective was to maintain the continuity of trade relations, to avoid any post‑Brexit disruption, and to provide business with a stable and predictable legal framework, while opening up new opportunities for cooperation.

1.6.  Since its entry into force, trade between Morocco and the United Kingdom has more than doubled, from MAD 26 billion (around GBP 2.1 billion) in 2021 to more than MAD 53.3 billion (around GBP 4.2 billion) in 2024. This trend reflects not only the vitality of our partnership, but also its potential for further development.

1.7.  It should be noted that the Association Agreement follows a short form approach, as it incorporates, mutatis mutandis, the provisions of the Morocco‑EU Association Agreement, with the technical modifications necessary for its application in order to ensure the operability of the bilateral framework. This methodology, agreed between the United Kingdom and Morocco, has helped to ensure a smooth transition to a bilateral partnership, while defending the benefits of the existing trade preferences.

1.8.  As a result, duty‑free access has been maintained for the majority of Moroccan industrial products. For agricultural products, modifications have been made to tariff quotas and seasonal calendars, in order to reflect the specificities of our two markets.

1.9.  At the institutional level, new bilateral governance bodies have been established, such as the Association Council and the Association Committee, to oversee the implementation and evolution of the partnership, replacing the former European mechanisms.

1.10.  Lastly, when technical modifications were necessary or when the Parties considered that the mutatis mutandis approach did not provide sufficient clarity or legal certainty, detailed amendments have been included in the Annexes to the Agreement. This approach seeks to enhance the effectiveness of its implementation and clarify the rights and obligations of the Parties.

1.11.  But this Agreement is not limited to a simple renewal of existing preferences, it opens the way for greater cooperation, adapted to the economic realities of our two countries. It allows, inter alia, for certain provisions to be updated according to the changing economic priorities, illustrating the shared willingness to deepen this partnership.

1.12.  This shared willingness is demonstrated in particular by two ongoing projects: the review of agricultural tariffs was launched in November 2023 with the aim of enhancing trade liberalization in this sector. At the same time, both Parties are currently working on a draft decision on rules of origin, with a view to introducing flexibilities.

1.13.  Allow me to conclude by underscoring that the Morocco‑UK Association Agreement is a genuine lever for trade diversification for our two economies. Morocco gives the United Kingdom a strategic foothold in Africa, while Morocco consolidates its links with a leading partner in global trade. This Agreement is now a mainstay of the economic partnership that links our two countries, and we are already seeing the tangible benefits through the multidimensional dynamism of our cooperation. It embodies both the continuity of benefits and adaptation to future developments, fully in keeping with a constructive approach based on shared prosperity and a shared vision of development. Thank you Chair.

1.14.  The representative of the United Kingdom delivered the following statement:

1.15.  Thank you, Chair. We are delivering this statement in relation to the UK‑Morocco Association Agreement, which successfully entered into force on 1^st January 2021 following the end of the Agreement's transition period. The Agreement is a comprehensive agreement that reaffirms the relationship the UK has with Morocco and provides important continuity and predictability to individuals, businesses, and stakeholders in the UK. It reaffirms many of the provisions of the EU‑Morocco agreement and, further, establishes an Association Council and sub‑committees that allow for the ongoing management of the Agreement.

1.16.  Morocco is a valued trading partner for the UK, and trade between us is growing: our trading relationship increased by GBP 562 million between the 2023 to a value of over GBP 4.2 billion over the fiscal year ending in 2024. The Association Agreement follows a short form approach, which incorporates by reference the relevant provisions of the EU‑Morocco agreements with relatively few but necessary modifications. The UK agreed with Morocco that using short form agreement is the most appropriate and proportionate approach to delivering continuity, and we note that this is also the approach used in other UK continuity agreements.

1.17.  Turning to the Agreement's provisions, the Agreement incorporates certain provisions in the EU‑Morocco agreements, mutatis mutandis, subject to the changes specified in the UK-Morocco Agreement. As a guiding principle, where the Agreement's commitments are time‑bound commitments and relate to liberalising market access, the Parties decided to "inherit the clock", thus ensuring continuity is maintained in the new bilateral Agreement. Where time‑bound commitments relate to commitments to undertake reviews, the clock has generally been reset, thus allowing the UK to carry out the reviews in a bilateral context.

1.18.  For trade in agriculture, Article 18(2) of the UK‑Morocco Agreement provides for a periodic review of agricultural tariffs. The UK launched this review with Morocco in November 2023 and negotiations are ongoing. For trade in services, Article 31 of the UK‑Morocco Agreement includes a review clause to widen the scope of the Agreement to cover the right of establishment and the provision of services. The UK is currently considering this review clause.

1.19.  Across the whole Agreement, most of the institutional provisions and bodies provided for in the EU‑Morocco Agreement are incorporated and retained, mutatis mutandis, although some modifications have been made to the naming and function of these bodies to ensure they are operable in a bilateral context and adapted to the UK's economy. For instance, it allows for the utilisation of committees, including Association Council, Association Committee and subcommittees set up under the Agreement, for the ongoing management and updating of the Agreement.

1.20.  Finally, the UK shares one of the world's longest‑standing bilateral relationships with Morocco, with roots reaching back over 800 years. Looking ahead, the UK remains committed to deepening cooperation under the UK‑Morocco Association Agreement. We look forward to strengthening the relationship across shared priorities, including trade and investment. Thank you very much.

1.21.  The representative of China noted the following:

1.22.  We thank the Secretariat for the Factual Presentation and the United Kingdom and Morocco for their presentations and responses to China's written questions. From their responses, we understand that the signing of the Agreement contributes to the stable environment for the bilateral trade and the economic growth of the Parties. We wish the Parties success in implementation of the Agreement.

1.23.  The representative of the European Union asked the following questions:

1.24.  The EU would like to thank the Parties for the comprehensive statements and the transparency they provided. We would be interested in learning whether the Parties have a timeline in mind for modernizing their Association Agreement. In this context, we have also noted that the Parties recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further their cooperation.

1.25.  The representative of the United Kingdom thanked the EU for the question, acknowledged not having an immediate response, and said a written reply would be provided later.

1.26.  The Chair noted the consideration of the Agreement establishing an Association between the United Kingdom and Morocco had allowed the Committee to clarify a number of questions and concluded oral discussion of the RTA in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism. Any delegations wishing to ask follow‑up questions were invited to forward submissions in writing to the Secretariat by 24 June 2025 and Parties were asked to submit replies in writing by no later than 8 July 2025. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the Transparency Mechanism all written submissions, as well as minutes of the meeting, would be circulated promptly, in all WTO official languages, and made available in the WTO database on RTAs.

1.27.  The Committee took note of the comments made.

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