In 2024, Moroccan asylum applications in EU+ countries dropped by 18%, with most filed in Italy, Spain, and Slovenia. Even more telling is the surge in withdrawn applications. In Slovenia alone, Moroccans accounted for over 70% of all withdrawals.
With just a few months left before the European Union’s deadline to comply with a Court of Justice ruling requiring the labeling of tomatoes and melons produced in the Sahara, the European Commission remains silent on the progress of its negotiations with Morocco. This cautious stance has frustrated a Spanish agricultural organization.
An EU's new banking directive, Directive (EU) 2024/1619, introduces stricter rules for non-EU bank branches, directly impacting Moroccan banks operating in Europe. Yabiladi outlines the changes that could affect Moroccan banking branches in the EU, from new compliance reviews and a classification system to the risk of being forced to become subsidiaries.