Brussels – The European Union (EU) and several Member States have expressed their unwavering commitment to the EU's strategic partnership with Morocco and their willingness to strengthen it further, following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) on the fisheries and agricultural agreements between the EU and the Kingdom.
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 statement the EU's commitment to further preserve and strengthen close relations with Morocco in all areas, by the principle of "pacta sunt servanda".
This joint statement, a rare political act that underlines the importance of Morocco and materialises the significance of the EU's partnership with the Kingdom, reiterates the "great value" that the EU attaches to "its strategic partnership with Morocco, which is long-standing, broad and deep".
The two officials also noted that the two parties have established, over the years, "a deep friendship and a solid and multifaceted cooperation, which we intend to take to a higher level in the coming weeks and months".
Several EU countries have followed suit, stressing the strategic nature of the Morocco-EU partnership.
In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares defended the "strategic partnership" with Morocco and the desire to maintain it, while expressing his country's government's respect for the CJEU's decision.
Albares highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco for both parties and the "benefits" it has brought to the fisheries and agriculture sectors. He said the Spanish government will continue to "work with the EU and Morocco to preserve and continue to develop this privileged relationship".
For its part, France reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to its exceptional partnership with Morocco and its determination to continue to deepen it.
In a statement, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs stressed that the relationship between the EU and Morocco is strategic, saying that Paris will continue to work with its European partners to strengthen their exchanges, particularly economic, and to preserve the achievements of the partnership, in compliance with international law.
As the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, wrote to His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the occasion of Throne Day, France remains determined to support Morocco's efforts in favour of the economic and social development of the Sahara, for the benefit of the local populations, said the Quai d'Orsay.
For its part, Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, reiterated its constant position in favour of strengthening the strategic partnership between the EU and the Kingdom of Morocco which is "in our common interest".
"We will continue to work to serve these interests by strengthening ties and expanding cooperation with Morocco to new areas," the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement, adding that Budapest is studying in detail the ECJ ruling on the EU-Morocco fisheries and agricultural agreements.
Belgium also reiterated its attachment to the strategic partnership between the European Union and Morocco and its commitment to continue working to deepen it, expressing its support for the joint statement of the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union to this effect.
"Belgium reiterates its attachment to the friendship and strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco and will continue to work to deepen it," the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation said on its X account.
On the same wavelength, Italy highlighted the "fundamental" strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco. "The strategic partnership is fundamental between the EU and Morocco, including in the field of agriculture and fisheries," said the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, on his X account.
"The European Court should take this into account," the head of Italian diplomacy stressed. "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 "firm commitment to the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco", stressing that the Netherlands supports the joint statement of the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union on the judgments of the CJEU.
In the same vein, Finland reaffirmed its "strong commitment" to the strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco.
Expressing Finland's support for the joint statement by the President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative on the CJEU's decision, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated, on its X account, the Nordic country's "strong commitment" to the "strategic partnership between the EU and Morocco".
The Star