With just a few months left before the European Union's deadline to comply with a Court of Justice ruling requiring the labeling of tomatoes and melons produced in the Sahara, the European Commission remains silent on the progress of its negotiations with Morocco. This cautious stance has frustrated a Spanish agricultural organization. The European Union has responded cautiously to requests from Spain's Coordination of Agricultural and Livestock Organizations (COAG) regarding the labeling of products from Western Sahara, particularly tomatoes and melons. This was shared by COAG official Andrés Góngora, who visited Brussels this week. «There's a lack of transparency. We're told that negotiations are underway with Morocco to amend the agreement and ensure compliance with the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling, which states that products grown in Western Sahara must be labeled as Sahrawi, not Moroccan. But no details are given—they simply say they can't disclose more and that we should trust the process. It all feels like empty promises», Góngora told El Debate in an interview published Saturday, June 7. The European Commission has pledged to keep the Spanish agricultural sector informed of developments in its talks with Morocco on the matter. However, these reassurances have failed to convince COAG, according to the Spanish outlet. After COAG, the Commission pressured by MEPs Following its discussions in Brussels, COAG believes the EU is attempting to modify the agreement with Morocco in a way that would allow business to continue as usual without penalties. «It feels like they're trying to legitimize a maneuver. Moroccan companies grow their produce in Western Sahara and prepare it for export in Agadir. We're concerned they're using this process to erase the Sahrawi origin. They don't say it outright, but that's the impression we get», Góngora warned. Spanish farmers stress that the European Commission is facing a highly sensitive dilemma. «There's no easy fix. If a flawed agreement is made just to appease Morocco, we'll be back in court immediately. Legally, they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. The EU hides behind the complexity and diplomatic sensitivity of the issue—but that's not our concern», he added. Under pressure from the Spanish agricultural sector, the European Commission is also expected to respond in the coming days to an oral question submitted in March by around 30 Members of the European Parliament. The MEPs are calling for the EU to open direct trade negotiations with the Polisario Front. A response is expected during the European Parliament's plenary session scheduled for June 16–19. In a ruling issued on October 4, the CJEU made clear that «the indication of the country of origin on the melons and tomatoes in question can only be Western Sahara, as these products are harvested in that territory. This territory is distinct from Morocco and constitutes a customs territory under EU law». The Court has given the EU until October 4, 2025, to comply with its rulings.
