The European Union has quietly approved a mandate for fresh trade negotiations with Morocco that may pave the way for new agreements also covering the Moroccan Sahara.
A source from the EU Council told Hespress English the decision was taken last week by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) without debate and later confirmed through a written procedure that closed Wednesday afternoon.
“The act is adopted. This means that the European Commission is now authorized to open negotiations on the amendment of Protocols 1 and 4 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement,” the source said, adding that the negotiations will follow directives given by EU member states.
Why the Mandate Matters
The new negotiating mandate focuses specifically on two protocols of the EU–Morocco trade framework. Protocol 1 sets the rules for imports of agricultural and fisheries products from Morocco to the EU, while Protocol 4 defines the conditions of origin that allow Moroccan goods to benefit from preferential tariff treatment.
Amending these two protocols is central to ensuring that trade in goods, particularly from the Moroccan Sahara, continues to flow smoothly into European markets under the same tariff advantages as before.
The adoption of this mandate gives the Commission the power to sit down with Morocco and hammer out new technical arrangements that bring the agreement into line with EU law while preserving existing trade relations.
The Legal Background
This is the first time the Commission has formally presented such a mandate since the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) annulled the EU–Morocco trade and fisheries agreements in October 2024.
In those rulings, the Court declared the deals could not legally apply to the Moroccan Sahara without the explicit consent of its people.
The decision gave the EU and Morocco one year to stop applying the agricultural trade deal to the Moroccan Sahara. After Oct. 4, 2025, the agreement would no longer be legally valid. The fisheries agreement had already expired in July 2024.
The ruling also changed product labeling. From the moment it was announced, all goods coming from the Moroccan Sahara had to be labeled as originating there; they could no longer be marked “from Morocco.”
Following the judgments, the Commission began consultations with EU member states to identify a way forward. Brussels faced pressure from businesses dependent on Moroccan imports as well as from member states eager to avoid disruption to a long-standing trade partnership.
These consultations laid the groundwork for the request that was ultimately presented to COREPER.
How the Mandate Came to Be
The Danish government, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, circulated a document on Aug. 20, 2025, outlining the Commission’s request for a new mandate.
The agenda point for COREPER was approved without discussion, and the subsequent written procedure allowed EU member states to raise objections or provide formal approval in writing.
The procedure closed Wednesday, officially adopting the mandate and authorizing the Commission to start negotiations with Morocco.
These negotiations will follow directives provided by EU member states, though the details remain confidential.
The Council has made clear that no immediate press announcement will be issued. “We do not plan to have a press product on this very decision, most likely at a later stage when negotiations are concluded,” the source told Hespress English. This suggests Brussels is keeping a low profile while the talks are ongoing.
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