Hours after the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a ruling on the Morocco-EU fisheries and agricultural agreements, Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement on Friday clarifying that the kingdom “is not concerned” with the decision, as it has not been involved in the case at any stage of the proceedings.”
The CJEU dismissed an appeal filed by the European Commission and Council earlier today and upheld a previous CJEU decision to invalidate the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement. The now-defunct agreement, which expired in July 2023, had allowed EU fishing fleets, mostly from Spain, to operate in Moroccan waters in exchange for financial compensation totaling 208.7 million euros over four years.
“Morocco is not a party to this case, it has not participated at any stage of the legal proceedings involving the European Union and the Algerian-backed Polisario,” the ministry said. “Therefore, we do not regard this verdict as affecting Morocco,” the ministry added.
It reaffirmed its position of rejecting any agreements or legal instruments that do not respect its territorial integrity and national unity.
The ministry explained that the ruling contains “evident legal errors” and “suspicious factual inaccuracies.”
“The ruling displays either a lack of understanding of the realities surrounding the issue or a “blatant political bias,” the statement read.
Morocco’s Ministry responded to the court’s “apparent disregard” for established positions held by relevant United Nations bodies. “The Court went on too far as to replace the relevant UN authorities and contradict their well-established positions and approaches.”
The kingdom, however, acknowledged the British High Court’s greater discernment and impartiality in a similar case.
The statement concluded with a call to the European Council, the European Commission, and EU member states to uphold their international commitments and provide Morocco with the legal security it deserves as a strategic partner in multiple areas.