Rabat - Over 400,000 applications for Schengen visas were submitted by Moroccans in 2013, according to recent statistics from the internal migration and Affairs of the European Commission.
Most applications were submitted to the consulates of France, Spain, Italy and Germany.
In total, 401 092 Schengen visas were submitted by Moroccans in 2013, which represents a 7.2% increase compared to the previous year.
The number of applications for Schengen visas submitted by Moroccans never ceased to increase.
The number moved from about 270,000 applications in 2009 to nearly 360,000 in 2011.
In 2013, Moroccans were ranked 9th among the countries who submitted the most applications for Schengen visas.
Morocco was preceded by Algeria, India, Belarus and Turkey. The top three countries were Russia, Ukraine and China.
The European Union and Morocco announced last week in Brussels the launch of discussions to develop two agreements for facilitating the ability of Moroccans to obtain visas for entering European Union countries, and for future readmission to those countries.
"The Partnership covers all issues related to migration, including responsible and humane management of irregular migration, facilitating mobility of Moroccan citizens, improving the recognition of professional qualifications and cooperation between employment services, supporting members of the Moroccan diaspora in Europe who want to invest in Morocco, and cooperation in the field of trafficking in human beings,” according to a news release issued by the delegation of EU to Morocco.