EFA STATEMENT ON THE HISTORIC ECJ RULING ON THE EU-MOROCCO TRADE DEAL.
Luxembourg – The European Free Alliance group welcomes the historic ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) invalidating the 2019 trade agreements between the EU and Morocco concerning fisheries and agricultural products. This decision represents a significant victory for the Sahrawi people and their rights to self-determination.
The ECJ's decision comes in response to appeals from the Polisario Front, the representative body of the Sahrawi people, which argued that the agreements were made without the consent of the Sahrawi population. The court found that the EU's failure to consult with the legitimate representatives of Western Sahara violated the principle of self-determination, a cornerstone of international law.
From the ECJ hearing in Luxembourg, our EFA MEP Ana Miranda highlighted that this ruling marks the beginning of a new era for the Sahrawi people and Europe’s international relations, where justice and respect for human rights must be paramount. “It is only right that we acknowledge that the people of Western Sahara did not consent to these agreements, which were made in violation of the principle of self-determination,” she stated.
MEP Miranda praised the ruling as a "historic" affirmation of the Polisario Front's position, noting that it recognises the EU's failure to consult the legitimate representatives of the Sahrawi people during negotiations. “This ruling not only reinforces the right to self-determination but also demonstrates that a European court has upheld the arguments of a liberation movement in annulling a trade agreement,” she added, drawing on her expertise in international law.
Ana Miranda EFA MEP and member of the Fisheries Committee and Petitions Committee:
“Today’s Ruling Marks a New Dawn for Self-Determination in Western Sahara”
“This is a significant victory for the Sahrawi people, who have fought tirelessly for their rights,” Miranda continued. “Furthermore, this ruling confirms what the European Free Alliance has consistently argued: that these agreements were illegal, serving only Morocco’s interests and neglecting the rightful owners of Western Sahara’s waters.” She pointed out that the fisheries agreement had already expired in 2023.
The court itself noted, “The Court observes, in light of its case law and based on the principles of the right to self-determination and the relative effect of treaties, that the implementation of an international agreement between the Union and Morocco in the territory of Western Sahara, as provided in the contested agreements, must obtain the consent of the people of Western Sahara. That consent does not exist in the present matters.”
