The EU rejects revision of Morocco's agricultural entry regime

In its war against Moroccan exports, Spanish lobbyists have suffered a setback at the European Parliament. The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski rejected a request formulated by MEP Mazaly Aguilar from the parliamentary group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party) on importing Moroccan products into the European Union.

«The Commission does not currently envisage any changes to the existing system», replied Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission.

The Commissioner acknowledged that EU fruit and vegetable imports from the Kingdom «have increased over the last years from 1 million tons of imports in 2015 worth around EUR 1.2 billion to 1.3 million tons of imports in 2019 worth around EUR 1.7 billion, representing an increase of 33% and 40% respectively».

Pressure from the Spanish lobbyists

Meanwhile, he added that «the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is looking into the matters referred to by the Honorable Member in order to assess the appropriate follow-up in accordance with OLAF’s legal framework and competence, and may open investigations if there are sufficient suspicions of fraud or any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the EU».

Aguilar in fact considered in her written question that «associations of Spanish farmers have reported to the European Anti-Fraud Office alleged fraudulent practices in Morocco to avoid the payment of customs duties on exports of Agrifood Products. This complaint is in addition to many previous claims by the Spanish agricultural sector, which has repeatedly warned against this situation».

Mazaly Aguilar's written question is part of the campaign launched by Spanish agricultural lobbyists against Moroccan exports to the EU. In February, the Canarian People's Party (PP) MEP Gabriel Mato asked the European Commission to open an investigation into "the damage caused to European producers by the non-respect of the payment of customs duties on agricultural products imports from Morocco». Mato thus echoed the complaint presented by the coordination of farmers' and livestock organizations (COAG) to the European Anti-Fraud Office.