CJEU Decision: EU and Member States express their unwavering commitment to the strategic partnership with Morocco

Following the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) decision on fisheries and agricultural agreements between the EU and the Kingdom, the European Union (EU) and several Member States have expressed their unwavering commitment to the Union’s strategic partnership with Morocco and their willingness to further strengthen it.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, set the tone, reaffirming in a joint declaration the EU’s commitment to further preserving and strengthening close relations with Morocco in all areas, in accordance with the principle of pacta sunt servanda.

This joint declaration, a rare political act that highlights the importance of Morocco and materializes the importance of the EU’s partnership with the Kingdom, reiterates the “great value” that the EU attaches to “its long-standing, broad and deep strategic partnership with Morocco”.

The two officials also noted that both parties have built, over the years, “a deep friendship and solid and multifaceted cooperation, which we intend to take to a higher level in the weeks and months ahead”.
Several EU countries have followed suit, underlining the strategic nature of the Morocco-EU partnership.

In Madrid, the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, defended the “strategic partnership” with Morocco and the will to maintain it, while expressing his country’s government’s respect for the CJEU decision.

Mr Albares highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco for both sides, as well as the benefits it has brought to the fisheries and agriculture sectors. He said that the Spanish government will continue to “work with the EU and Morocco to preserve and further develop this privileged relationship”.

For its part, France reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to its exceptional partnership with Morocco and its determination to continue deepening it.

In a statement, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs stressed that the relationship between the EU and Morocco is, therefore, strategic. It affirms that Paris will continue to work with its European partners to strengthen their economic exchanges and preserve the partnership’s achievements in accordance with international law.

As the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, wrote to His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the Fête du Trône, France remains determined to support Morocco’s efforts to promote the economic and social development of the Sahara, which will benefit local populations, said Le Quai d’Orsay.

Belgium also reiterated its commitment to the strategic partnership between the European Union and Morocco and its commitment to continue working towards its deepening, expressing its support for the joint declaration of the President of the European Commission and the High Commissioner representative of the European Union for this purpose.

Belgium reaffirms its commitment to the friendship and strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco and will continue to work towards its deepening,’ said the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Development Cooperation on its Account X.

Italy highlighted the “fundamental” strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco on the same wavelength. “The strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco is fundamental, including in the area of agriculture and fisheries,” said Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on his behalf.

“The European Court should take this into account,” said the Italian foreign minister. “The Italian government, as I will repeat during my visit to Rabat, wants to further strengthen cooperation with Morocco, especially in the fight against illegal immigration,” he added.

The Netherlands, in turn, reiterated its “strong commitment to the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco,” underlining that it supports the joint statement by the President of the European Commission and the High Commissioner for Representative of the European Union on CJEU judgments.

Similarly, Finland reaffirmed its “strong commitment” to the EU-Morocco strategic partnership.

Expressing Finland’s support for the joint statement by the President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative on the ECJ decision, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated, on its account X, the “strong commitment” of the Nordic country in favour of the “strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco”.

Hungary

Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, has reiterated its consistent position in favour of strengthening the strategic partnership between the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco as being “in our common interest”.

“We will continue to work to serve these interests by strengthening ties and expanding cooperation with Morocco in new areas.”

The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement that Budapest is also studying in detail the ECJ’s ruling on the EU-Morocco fisheries and agricultural agreements.

• related article: Morocco not impacted by ECJ decision on Agriculture and Fisheries Agreement

Source: Moroccan Press Agency