On Wednesday 1 October, the EU Council is expected to approve a decision revising the EU-Morocco Association Agreement. This involves amending the agreement, which was annulled by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) on 4 October 2024 (see EUROPE 13497/12). In its judgement, the Court gave a one-year reprieve before the end of the application of the agreement.
Negotiations took place between the EU and Morocco between 10 and 15 September to agree on the details of the changing agreement, according to the draft Commission decision published by the NGO Western Sahara Resource Watch.
The new version of the agreement provides for a new labelling system for fruit and vegetables from Western Sahara, but these will be subject to checks by the Moroccan customs authorities.
In 2024, the CJEU annulled the agreement on the grounds that the people of Western Sahara, although affected by the agreement, had not been duly consulted prior to its conclusion.
If the Committee of Member States’ Representatives to the EU (Coreper) gives the green light to the decision on Wednesday, the written procedure will be launched to formally adopt the decision at EU Council level. The European Commission and Morocco will then be able to sign the agreement, and the trade part of it can enter into force provisionally before the current agreement expires on 4 October.
The European Parliament must also give its consent in the coming weeks, with a view to the final conclusion of the agreement. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)