Morocco-EU Trade Deal Plans Maintain Western Sahara Preferential Tariffs Amid Controversy

Morocco and the European Union have reached an updated agricultural trade agreement that maintains preferential tariffs for products from Morocco's southern provinces, including Western Sahara, aligning their treatment with goods from northern regions. The EU and Morocco have clarified labeling requirements to specify origins within the southern regions, while reaffirming Morocco's autonomy initiative, though the deal is described as commercial rather than political. However, this agreement has faced strong criticism from European agricultural organizations and Sahrawi advocacy groups, which argue it contravenes a 2024 European Court of Justice ruling that invalidated previous trade deals including Western Sahara without the consent of its people. Critics claim the new deal ignores the Sahrawi people's rights, risks unfair competition due to differing production standards, and undermines EU legal and ethical standards by excluding Sahrawi consent, as represented by the Polisario Front. Calls have been made for the EU to suspend negotiations with Morocco concerning Western Sahara and ensure any future agreements respect the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and sovereignty over natural resources. The European Commission maintains it has fulfilled court requirements but remains vague on how Saharawi consent was obtained, fueling further controversy.