BREAKING: EU Court Rules Western Sahara Excluded from EU-Morocco Agreements
In a landmark decision today, October 4, 2024, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) rejected the EU’s appeals concerning its trade and fisheries agreements with Morocco. The ruling confirms that the agreements cannot be applied to Western Sahara, a territory deemed “separate and distinct” from Morocco by the court.
The ruling follows years of legal battles, during which the court consistently concluded that Morocco has no sovereignty or administrative rights over Western Sahara. The EU’s deals with Morocco, therefore, require the explicit consent of the Saharawi people, who have the right to self-determination under international law.
Today’s ruling, read at 9:55 AM by Court President Koen Lenaerts, reinforces earlier decisions from 2016 and 2018 that nullified the application of EU-Morocco agreements to Western Sahara. Despite these rulings, the EU had extended its agreements to include Western Sahara, prompting legal action from the Saharawi people, who were excluded from consultations.
Sara Eyckmans from Western Sahara Resource Watch hailed the decision as a “momentous victory” for the Saharawi people, calling on the EU to respect its court’s rulings and urging foreign companies to stop exploiting Western Sahara’s resources under Morocco’s occupation.
The ruling comes amid heightened tensions between the EU and Morocco, particularly following the recent ‘Moroccogate’ corruption scandal. This marks the seventh EU court ruling on the matter, solidifying Western Sahara’s status as a separate entity not subject to Morocco’s agreements with the EU.
The court’s final documents on the fisheries and trade agreements are expected to be published shortly, with all Moroccan activities in Western Sahara ordered to cease within a year.
