Spanish Congress Opposes EU-Morocco Trade Amendment on Western Sahara
Spain’s Congress has rejected the recent amendment to the European Union–Morocco trade agreement, introduced by the European Commission to include products from Western Sahara, in what Spanish media described as a blatant violation of a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) requiring the prior consent of the Sahrawi people.
“The motion tabled by the Vox party against the amendment to the EU-Morocco trade deal, which seeks to cover territories of Western Sahara, was backed by the Congress of Deputies, rejecting the European Commission’s maneuver to bypass the CJEU’s October 4, 2024 ruling that declared this practice illegal,” El Debate reported Thursday.
According to the newspaper, Vox—led by Santiago Abascal—outlined a strategy to safeguard Spain’s agricultural sector. Among its proposed measures, the party secured parliamentary support for one of its key demands aimed at defending the primary sector and national production.
Vox’s plan seeks to “reduce structural dependence on non-European imports, eliminate unfair competition, promote local consumption, and prioritize food sovereignty,” the paper added.
The party hailed the vote as “a victory for Vox in defending Spanish farmers against unfair competition and against the maneuvers of Brussels and Morocco to undermine European jurisprudence and harm the national primary sector.”
Several MEPs and associations have previously denounced the new EU-Morocco trade deal, arguing that the changes were made in defiance of CJEU rulings and without proper consultation.
