bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Western Sahara


The Commission’s proposals to correct EU-Morocco relations and the EU’s obligation not to recognise as lawful the ‘illegal situation’ in Western Sahara
The proposals violate the EU and its Member States’ obligation of non-recognition of Morocco’s breaches: the right to self-determination of people, the prohibition on aggression, and some of the ‘intransgressible rules’ of international humanitarian law.
EU-Morocco deal: EU is misguiding the Member States, warns WSRW
The Commission tries to misguide the Member States concerning the consultation process launched to "comply" with the European Court of Justice, which had rejected the inclusion of Western Sahara in the EU-Morocco Association Agreement.
EU Parliament critical of Commission’s Western Sahara approach
The EU Commission received heavy critique from the European Parliament for its suggestion to include occupied Western Sahara in a trade deal with Morocco.
EU-Morocco fishing agreement’s renegotiation: Polisario Front brings action for annulment
The Polisario Front brought an action for annulment of the Council of the European Union’s decision, which allows the European Commission to open negotiations with Rabat to extend EU-Morocco fishing agreement to Western Sahara.
This is how the Commission proposes to deal with Western Sahara trade
The EU Commission has today presented its suggested trade arrangement for occupied Western Sahara, which still requires the approval of the EU Member States and the EU Parliament.
EU-Morocco fishing deal: Sahrawi people’s consent indispensable if their territory is included (WSRW)
The Western Sahara Resource Watch stressed that the Sahrawi people’s consent is indispensable in any a trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco.
EU-Morocco fisheries agreement: European Commission will abide by CJEU’s ruling
In this regard, Federica Mogherini said that the Commission "has taken note" of the CJEU’s ruling and is examining it in order to determine the consequences and possible actions to be taken.
Court in confusion – the EU and Western Sahara
Representatives of the Polisario Front, the independence movement which claims to represent the people of Western Sahara, say that talks should now start on a separate EU-Western Sahara agreement.
European justice dictates that the fisheries pact with Morocco does not apply to Western Sahara
The Luxembourg court validates the EU-Morocco fisheries pact, but excludes Western Sahara because that area is not part of the Kingdom of Morocco
Sweden to vote against new EU-Morocco fish talks
"Sweden considers that the proposed mandate does not meet the requirements of international law", the official government statement reads.
EU, Morocco sign trade deal, seemingly ignore Western Sahara
The document ignores the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of Dec. 21 2016, which stated that Western Sahara is a “separate and distinct” territory from Morocco.
EU-Morocco fish deal should be declared invalid: EU court adviser
The European Union’s fisheries agreement with Morocco should be declared invalid because it includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara, an adviser to the EU’s top court said.
EU Commission eying new fish deal including Western Sahara
Not awaiting the EU Court of Justice’s verdict on the legality of the current fisheries protocol with Morocco over the inclusion of Western Sahara’s waters, the EU Commission is already thinking out loud about its successor.
Morocco and EU discuss amending agriculture deal
The two sides discussed the amendment of the Morocco-EU agriculture agreement, after the European Court of Justice ruled in December 2016 that is not applicable to goods from Western Sahara.
EU Parliament approves Morocco aviation deal including Western Sahara
Opposition referred to the inclusion of Western Sahara, which they say renders the deal illegal under EU law.
Western Sahara trade dispute to be heard in the Court of Justice of the European Union
WSCUK argues that the UK was unlawfully allowing products, originating from or processed in Western Sahara, to be imported into the UK under a trade agreement with Morocco.
Saharawi organisations slam EU over trade talks with Morocco
"Seeking to circumvent the ECJ’s ruling, directly challenges the credibility of the EU, and significantly damages the potential for progress through the UN-led negotiation process", Saharawi groups qualify the EU’s talks with Morocco regarding Western Sahara trade, in their letter to the EU’s Foreign Affairs Chief.
Nigeria says Ecowas studying ramifications of Morocco membership
Several Nigerian lobby groups, including an organization of retired ambassadors, are putting pressure on the Nigerian government to reject the application because of the decades-old dispute over Western Sahara and Morocco’s geographical distance.
French government dilutes Court of Justice conclusion
A note sent from French government to the French parliamentarians in Brussels casts doubts on whether France has studied the judgment at all.
EU deeply divided over Western Sahara policy
The ECJ has ruled that EU trade agreements can only apply to Western Sahara if the legitimate representatives of its people agree to it. In practice, the EU’s 2017 list of approved exporters from Morocco still includes entities based in Western Sahara.