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Carlos Moreno, Secretary General of Foreign Affairs for the EU, stated that the new agreement between the European Union and Morocco entails the «implicit consent of the Sahrawi people», without requiring their explicit approval. His remarks came during a session of the EU Joint Committee in the Spanish Parliament.
Moreno explained that the agreement, signed on October 3, entered into provisional application immediately upon signing. He noted that it amends sections of the 2019 accord on agricultural products, which had previously been annulled by the European Court of Justice. The new text, he added, will later be submitted to the EU-Morocco Partnership Council and subsequently to the European Parliament for final ratification, according to Spanish media reports.
Defending the agreement, Moreno argued that European judicial precedent allows for implicit consent, provided that the accord delivers «tangible and verifiable benefits» to the people of Western Sahara and does not impose any legal obligations on them.
He further revealed that the agreement introduces a new labeling requirement for goods originating from Western Sahara, ensuring that they clearly indicate their true origin. Such products, he clarified, will no longer be marketed as Moroccan but will instead specify their production zones, particularly Dakhla and Laayoune.
However, Milagros Marcos, Member of the Congress of Deputies of Spain for the People's Party (PP), criticized the Spanish government’s position, accusing it of siding with Morocco’s interests at the expense of Sahrawi rights. She denounced the agreement for being approved «in just five days, without public debate, transparency, or any impact assessment», adding that the PP supports trade openness «but only with guarantees of reciprocity and clarity».
