The EU-Morocco trade agreements are not applicable to Western Sahara, as it is not part of Moroccan territory, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) confirmed in its judgement today.

However, the ECJ sets aside the former judgment of the General Court to annul the EU-Morocco trade agreements. The Court does not recognise Polisario as concerned by the EU-Moroccan Association Agreement or the Liberalisation Agreement, because the EU-Morocco agreements do not apply to the territory of Western Sahara.

Norbert Neuser, S&D MEP and chair of the European Parliament’s Western Sahara Intergroup, said:

“The Court made it crystal clear that the EU-Morocco agreements are not applicable to Western Sahara.

“Altogether, I think Polisario achieved its goal that the EU-Moroccan trade agreements must not concern the territories of Western Sahara. The verdict further underlines that the people of Western Sahara did not consent to the agreements being applied to their territory and that the EU intended to implemented the agreements in a manner incompatible with international law.”

“The EU, Commission and Member States, now have to make sure they respect the judgement and exclude the territory of Western Sahara from the application of the EU-Morocco agreements.”