... facilitates imports that interest the northern countries as consumers, because they increase supply and drive prices lower – and it also helps them export their own cereal, seed oils, milk products and meat to Morocco. Spain is the country that will come off the worst.

Mate criticises the attitude of the EU, which, on December 14, refused to renew its fishing agreement with Morocco because the Moroccans failed to take the interests of the people of Western Sahara into account. The decision forced sixty Spanish ships back to port, angering Madrid -

Beyond the concerns about human rights issues or the problems of the Sahara, the political reasons have been imposed to support the Moroccan friend as the gateway to Europe – and Europe’s shield [...] The economic interests of the countries north of the Pyrenees have prevailed.

The European Commission wanted to renew the agreement for a year, while holding talks on a new compromise. However, the Madrid daily explains that "concerns over Western Sahara and the environment" were deemed more important by Strasbourg “which expressed scepticism on the issue of respect for Sahrawi rights."

The vote in parliament was largely based on a report by MEP Carl Haglund, who raised the question of the legality of an agreement that included fishing rights off the coast of Western Sahara, a terriory annexed by Morocco, which is not recognised by the EU, and the question of the benefit to the Sahrawi people. The liberal Finnish parliamentarian also expressed concern over the  “excessive exploitation of fishing resources” and the “poor cost-benefit outcome” of the agreement.

El País points out that the decision, which "goes against the opinion of the European Commission and EU member states," has prompted opposition from the Spanish government. Morocco immediately ordered all European boats to leave its territorial waters, including waters off the coast of Western Sahara.

Until now, points out El País, in its approach to countries like Egypt and Tunisia "the EU strategy has been based on the principle of ‘security in exchange for millions of euros.’” The parameters that have now been announced -- free elections, freedom of speech in the press, an independent judiciary, the fight against corruption, and democratic control of security and armed forces -- will enable Europe to measure the level of democracy in these countries. The Madrid daily notes that the plan unveiled by the European diplomacy chief also includes measures for the control of migration flows. However, it points out that "Ashton has denied that the plan offers money to prevent immigration."

The Madrid daily further asserts that negotiations to allow the independence campaigner to return home "avoided a human tragedy," but also highlighted "the fragility of relations between Morocco and Spain." El País is convinced that Morocco deliberately sought to persecute Haider, who had left the country to collect a human rights award at a ceremony in the United States – a course of action, which shows "that the Saharwi people are indeed subject to oppression."

“Does it make any sense to offer Morocco a privileged status vis-à-vis the EU when its political system diverges from Europe’s on such basic points as freedom of the press and human rights?”asks analyst Bernabé López. Rabat will not issue Haidar a new passport unless she “apologises to the king”.