Moroccan fisheries, fresh produce exporters denounce ECJ pro-separatism ruling

Representatives of fisheries and fresh produce exporters rejected the politically biased verdict of the European Court of Justice, which invalidated the trade agreements because they covered goods from Morocco’s southern provinces, or Western Sahara.

Head of the fisheries chamber Kamal Sabri denounced the verdict which puts a halt to deals that lasted for 20 years.

In a statement to Medias24, he said the ideological verdict would not have a significant impact on Morocco’s fisheries exports, noting that only 17% of Morocco’s fisheries sales go to the EU.

Morocco thanks to the competitiveness of its exports has diversified its export destinations, opening new markets in Africa, Asia, and the Americas where demand is on the surge.

Echoing him, head of Moroccan confederation for agriculture, Rachid Benali, said Moroccan exporters of fruits and vegetables will never accept a deal that does not respect Morocco’s territorial integrity.

The ECJ’s verdict was met with statements from different European countries reaffirming the need to maintain partnership with Morocco.

French deputies in particular denounced the verdict as a setback for the EU’s commercial interests.

Morocco made it clear it will not subscribe to any future deal that does not respect its territorial integrity and national unity, describing the verdict as “a blatant political bias” fraught with “factual errors.”