EU/Morocco Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation: participation of Morocco in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Aldo PATRICIELLO (EPP, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA).

The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

As a reminder, the Mediterranean Research and Innovation Partnership (PRIMA) is a public-public partnership that brings together the research capacities of the Union and the participating Mediterranean countries to facilitate the development and implementation of innovative and integrated solutions to make agri-food and water management and supply systems in the Mediterranean area more efficient, secure and sustainable.

Currently, 19 countries are jointly implementing PRIMA: 11 Member States of the European Union, three countries associated with the Horizon 2020 programme and five third countries with which the Union must conclude international agreements on scientific and technological cooperation. The agreement with Morocco was negotiated in this context.