The European Union (EU) and several member states have expressed their unwavering commitment to the Union’s strategic partnership with Morocco and their desire to further strengthen this partnership.
The reactions came following the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings on the fishing and agricultural agreements between the bloc and the Kingdom.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative Josep Borrell reaffirmed, in a joint statement, the EU’s commitment to preserving and strengthening close relations with Morocco in all areas, in line with the pacta sunt servanda principle.
This joint statement, a rare political act highlighting the importance of Morocco, emphasizes the significance of the EU’s partnership with Morocco. It reiterates the “high value” the EU places on its “long-standing, wide-opening, and deep” strategic partnership with Morocco.
The two EU senior officials also noted that the two parties have developed over the years “a profound friendship and a solid and multi-faceted cooperation, which we intend to take to the next level in the coming weeks and months.”
Several EU countries followed suit, emphasizing the strategic nature of the Morocco-EU partnership.
In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares defended the “strategic partnership” with Morocco and the desire to maintain it.
Albares stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco for both parties and the “benefits” it has brought to the fishing and agricultural sectors. He further affirmed that the Spanish government would continue “to work with the EU and Morocco to preserve and further develop this privileged relationship.”
Similarly, France reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to its exceptional partnership with Morocco and its determination to deepen it. In a statement, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs emphasized that the relationship between the EU and Morocco is of strategic importance.
It affirmed that Paris would continue working with its European partners to strengthen their exchanges, particularly economic ones, and to preserve the achievements of the partnership, in accordance with international law.
As President Emmanuel Macron wrote to King Mohammed VI on the Throne Day last July, France remains determined to support Morocco’s efforts towards the economic and social development of the Sahara for the benefit of local populations, the Foreign Ministry added.
For its part, Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, reiterated its constant position in favor of strengthening the strategic partnership between the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco, stating that this is “in our common interest.”
“We will continue to work to serve these interests by strengthening ties and expanding cooperation with Morocco into new areas,” said the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.
Belgium also reiterated its commitment to the strategic partnership between the European Union and Morocco and its dedication to continue working on deepening this relationship. It expressed its support for the joint declaration by the President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative on this matter.
“Belgium reaffirms its commitment to the friendship and strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco and will continue to work on deepening it,” said the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Development Cooperation on its X account.
In the same vein, Italy highlighted the “fundamental” strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco. “The strategic partnership is fundamental between the EU and Morocco, including in agriculture and fishing,” said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, on his X account.
“The European Court should take this into account,” stressed the Italian Foreign Minister. “The Italian government, as I will reiterate during my visit to Rabat, seeks to further strengthen cooperation with Morocco, particularly in the fight against illegal immigration,” he added.
The Netherlands also reiterated their “strong commitment to the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco,” emphasizing that the Netherlands supports the joint declaration by the President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative on the CJEU’s rulings.
In the same connection, Portugal deemed EU-Morocco Partnership ‘Essential’ and 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.
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,” the Portuguese Foreign Ministry said, underlining that 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.”
Similarly, Finland reaffirmed its “strong commitment” to the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco.
Expressing Finland’s support for the joint statement by the President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative regarding the ECJ decision, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated on its X account the country’s “strong commitment” to the “strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco.”
Several members of the European Parliament have also voiced outrage at the ECJ ruling as “undermining European economic interests.”
The ECJ gave in to the claims of “Polisario Front terrorists” over the Sahara and “undermined European and Moroccan economic interests,” while violating “the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco,” reacted French MEP Nicolas Bay, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s delegation to the Africa-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, on the social network X.
“Morocco remains the EU’s most reliable partner in North Africa and its sole interlocutor on all political and trade issues,” commented MEP Tomáš Zdechovský, from the European People’s Party group in the European Parliament.
He added that “polisario” is a “threat to stability and security in the EU’s vicinity.”
“A sad day for Europe,” wrote, for his part, MEP Thierry Mariani, adding that the entire world has understood that the Sahara is Moroccan, “except the ECJ.”
As to Morocco, it says it is in no way concerned by the ECJ ruling as the case involves the EU against the Algeria-backed polisario. Yet, the court’s “decision contains obvious legal errors and suspicious errors of fact,” says a press release issued by the Moroccan foreign ministry, noting that this shows a total ignorance of the case realities, if not a politically biased ruling.