The European Union lawmakers rejected on Wednesday a motion aimed at blocking the new farming deal between Morocco and the EU, including products from Moroccan Saharan territory.
By rejecting the motion, tabled by pro-polisario lobbyists paid by Algeria, the European Parliament sends Algerian regime a strong message saying that the new EU-Morocco agricultural trade agreement recognizes the Sahara as a Moroccan territory.
The move also reaffirms the legality and legitimacy of the trade deal which is in line with the UN Security Council resolution 2797 endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara under the Kingdom’s sovereignty.
Under the new amended agreement, the agricultural products originating from Moroccan Sahara will benefit from the same preferential tariffs as those applied to all Moroccan products under the EU-Morocco Association Agreement.
The text introduces technical adjustments relating to consumer information on the origin of the products. The Moroccan Saharan agricultural products will bear a label mentioning the regions of their production “Laayoune-Sakiat el Hamra” or “Dakhla-Oued Eddahab”.
Morocco’s enemies were pushing for “Western Sahara” labeling of fruit & vegetables exported to European market. But they failed amid mounting international recognition of Moroccanness of the Sahara.
Morocco remains the EU’s top trading partner in Africa, with bilateral trade exceeding 60 billion euros annually. The Southern Provinces alone account for over 200,000 tons of exports to Europe each year, valued at 590 million euros, supporting nearly 140,000 jobs.
The vote is widely seen as a blow to Algeria and the Polisario, whose lobbying in Brussels sought to derail the agreement by questioning its legality. Their objection failed to gain traction, reaffirming the EU’s recognition of Morocco’s territorial integrity in the context of trade relations.
By rejecting the motion and validating the Commission’s approach, the European Parliament has reinforced the strategic partnership between Morocco and the EU. The decision not only secures uninterrupted agricultural exports but also sends a clear political message: the Sahara regions are integral to Morocco’s trade framework with Europe.
