The ECJ’s decision is the final ruling after several appeals by the European Commission
Spanish FM defends will to maintain EU-Morocco 'Strategic Partnership'
Albares stresses the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco for both parties following the European Court of Justice’s rule that the EU-Morocco trade deals are invalid in Western Sahara.
Friday 04/10/2024
The ECJ’s decision is the final ruling after several appeals by the European Commission
MADRID - Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Friday stressed his country's respect for the judgement of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning the agricultural and fisheries agreements between the EU and Morocco, while defending the “strategic partnership” with the Kingdom of Morocco and the will to maintain it.
The ECJ ruled on Friday that the European Commission had breached the right of people in Western Sahara to self-determination by concluding trade deals with Morocco.
Albares stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco for both parties, as well as the “benefits” it has brought to the fisheries and agriculture sectors.
The Spanish top diplomat underlined his country's commitment to a stable relationship with the North African Kingdom, asserting that the Spanish government will continue to “work with the European Union and Morocco to preserve and further develop this privileged relationship.”
The ECJ’s decision is the final ruling after several appeals by the Commission, the European Union's executive arm. The EU signed fishing and agriculture agreements with Morocco in 2019 that also covered products from the Western Sahara.
"The consent of the people of Western Sahara to the implementation... is a condition for the validity of the decisions by which the (EU) Council approved those agreements on behalf of the European Union," the court said.
It said a consultation process that took place had not involved "the people of Western Sahara but the inhabitants who are currently present in that territory, irrespective of whether or not they belong to the people of Western Sahara".
The court also ruled that melons and tomatoes produced in Western Sahara must now have their origin labelled as such.
"Labelling must indicate Western Sahara alone as the country of origin of those goods, to the exclusion of any reference to Morocco, so as to avoid misleading consumers," it said.
The Commission told reporters it was currently analysing the judgements in detail.