ECJ Ruling: Portugal Spotlights ‘Essential’ EU-Morocco Partnership

Portugal stressed on Saturday the “essential” nature of the partnership between the European Union (EU) and Morocco, while reaffirming its willingness to work with European partners and institutions “to deepen it in all areas.”

“Portugal considers the partnership between the European Union and Morocco to be essential, and will work with European partners and institutions to deepen it in all areas,” said the Portuguese Foreign Ministry in a statement published on its official website.

Noting the rulings of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the fisheries and agricultural agreements between the EU and the Kingdom, the Portuguese ministry stressed that Lisbon and Rabat enjoy “a strategic partnership at bilateral level, marked by a long relationship of respect and friendship with great political, diplomatic and economic substance.”

In this year, which marks the 250th anniversary of the bilateral peace treaty, strengthening relations with Morocco, both bilaterally and at European level, “is a strategic priority for Portugal,” the same source stressed.