Spanish agricultural unions are fiercely opposing the new trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco, specifically concerning products originating from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. These unions argue the deal violates international law and disregards a critical ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
The (COAG), a major Spanish organization representing farmers and livestock breeders, has called on the Spanish government to uphold the ECJ’s decision from October 4, 2024. This ruling stated that any agreement between the EU and Morocco including Western Sahara is illegitimate without the explicit consent of the Polisario Front, the recognized representative of the Sahrawi people.
Andrés Góngora, coordinator of COAG, met with Abdallah Arabi, the Polisario Front’s representative in Madrid, to discuss the EU’s recent maneuvers. They contend that the EU is circumventing the ECJ’s landmark decision, which affirmed that any agreement involving the occupied Sahrawi territories without the consent of its people, through the Polisario Front, is illegal. Góngora strongly condemned the EU’s disregard for the ECJ’s rulings and the new agreement with Morocco that encompasses Western Sahara. He expressed the Spanish agricultural sector’s discontent, viewing the deal as a fresh assault on their interests and international law. The sector feels the deal creates unfair competition for Spanish farmers.
Góngora noted that after the ECJ ruling, COAG held several meetings with the European Commission, but these lacked transparency and tangible results. He criticized the new agreement’s ambiguity. The Spanish union leader pledged to continue exposing all parties involved in marketing products from the occupied territories of Western Sahara. He expressed astonishment at the European institutions’ disregard for the decisions of their democratic bodies and their support for Morocco, despite the clear fact that Western Sahara does not belong to Morocco and has its own sovereignty.
Following the meeting with the Polisario Front representative, COAG met with the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas. They reiterated their demand for compliance with international law and the immediate implementation of the ECJ’s decision. They also requested concrete measures to protect the Spanish agricultural sector from unfair competition.
COAG had previously condemned fraudulent labeling practices, such as cherry tomatoes from occupied Western Sahara being sold in Spain as Moroccan produce. They have filed complaints with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to ensure product traceability and protect consumer rights.
Abdallah Arabi reaffirmed that the Polisario Front will initiate a new legal battle in international courts to challenge the agreement. They also plan to launch a mobilization campaign to highlight the lack of transparency on the part of the EU and the Moroccan occupation regime, which he described as a clear plunder of the Sahrawi people’s wealth and resources. The core issue revolves around the ethical and legal considerations of trade agreements that potentially benefit from resources extracted from occupied territories, raising concerns about international law and the rights of the Sahrawi people. Keywords: EU, Morocco, Western Sahara, trade agreement, Polisario Front, European Court of Justice, agricultural unions, international law.
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Source: External reference
