EU grants 550 Million dirham to assist Morocco in sanitation and industrial de-pollution

The EU has agreed financial support of almost €50 million for industrial de-pollution and implementation of the polluter pays principle in the water sector, according to a press release from the EU Delegation in Morocco.

The financing agreement of 550 Million dirham (approx. €49 million) of EU support to Morocco’s national sanitation and industrial de-pollution programme was signed last week by Eneko Landaburu, the Head of the EU Delegation to Morocco and the relevant Moroccan authorities.

the press release said the programme would strengthen a voluntary incentive scheme for industrial pollution control, reinforcing the role of the Hydraulic Basin Agencies in de-pollution projects, and assist in the effective realization in Morocco of the "polluter pays" principle established by the law on water.

"The European Union has supported the sector of water and sanitation in Morocco and the accompanying reforms since 1998. I welcome the signing of this important programme, one of whose most important contributions will be to improve access to sanitation for the poorest social classes, which will affect 200,000 direct beneficiaries and provide for the construction of 25 wastewater treatment plants and implementing a better integrated management of water resources.", said Eneko Landaburu, the Head of the EU’s delegation to Morocco.

The new national sanitation programme is a continuation and consolidation of reforms in the water sector, supported by the European Union between 2000 and 2006.

A donation of 330 million dirham under the programme "sanitation and institutional support" was provided in 2008 to Morocco to complete the national sanitation support programme, bringing the EU’s financial support in the field of sanitation currently underway to 880 million dirham. This programme addresses the challenges of the Advanced Status of the relationships between Morocco and the EU, supporting the gradual convergence of Moroccan laws to the EU environmental legislation (in particular the implementation of the “polluter pays” principle) and the reform of pricing and financing mechanisms in the water sector for a better and sustainable service to users.