DR ‹ › The European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development reviewed on Wednesday, March 18, the agricultural agreement reached on October 3 between Morocco and the European Union, with a particular focus on tariff preferences granted to products originating from Western Sahara. During the meeting, the European Commission firmly defended the labeling system agreed with Rabat. Brigitte Misonne, Deputy Director-General in charge of agriculture, described it as a «pragmatic and legally sound» solution. She stressed that the October 3 agreement «did not change the scope» in place since 2018. «Western Sahara, which is under Moroccan customs control, therefore benefits from the negotiated preferences», she told MEPs, adding that the new agreement did not introduce any «additional concessions or advantages» for products from the territory. According to Misonne, the labeling system is also beneficial for European consumers. She noted that the agreement is part of the EU's «strategic partnership with Morocco, to which the Union attaches the highest importance». Under the revised framework, Rabat and Brussels introduced adjustments to improve consumer information on product origin. Labels now specify production regions in Morocco's southern provinces, including Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab. However, the approach continues to face opposition from some MEPs. During the March 18 session, Spanish MEP Carmen Crespo of the People's Party reiterated her criticism, calling for labeling that explicitly refers to Western Sahara, in line with the October 4, 2024 ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Her position is shared by several members of the committee. Misonne, however, maintained that the current labeling complies with the CJEU ruling, also noting Morocco's proposal of autonomy for the territory.
