Polisario challenges EU–Morocco trade deal including products from Moroccan Sahara

The Polisario Front has announced a new legal move against the European Union–Morocco trade agreement, filing an appeal before the EU’s General Court over the inclusion of products coming from Morocco’s southern provinces.

The appeal targets the latest trade deal between Rabat and Brussels, which has been provisionally applied since October 3. The agreement allows products from the Moroccan Sahara to benefit from EU trade preferences, a move the Polisario strongly opposes.

According to Polisario officials, the appeal was submitted in late December, with the group claiming it represents the population of the region and has the legal standing to challenge agreements involving natural resources.

The Polisario says that the deal ignores previous rulings by the EU’s top court, which it says require the consent of the local population before any trade arrangement covering the territory.

The group also claims the European Commission and Morocco pushed the agreement forward without consulting the Polisario or fully involving the European Parliament.

Polisario figures claim that this approach caused tensions inside EU institutions and nearly derailed parts of the deal, particularly those related to product labeling.

Another point raised by the Polisario is the way the agreement refers to the Moroccan Sahara. The group criticizes the use of Morocco’s administrative divisions, insisting this reflects what it calls an “illegal” integration of the territory.

Moroccan authorities, however, maintain that the southern provinces are an integral part of Morocco, a position backed by strong development projects and growing international support for Morocco’s autonomy plan.

Despite the legal challenge, the EU–Morocco partnership remains firm. Trade ties between Rabat and Brussels continue to expand, with agricultural and fisheries products from the Moroccan Sahara playing a growing role in boosting local jobs, infrastructure, and investment.

Morocco has repeatedly said that revenues generated from these agreements directly benefit residents of the southern provinces, contributing to economic growth, social services, and regional stability.

The Polisario says it will keep pursuing legal and media campaigns to block what it describes as the exploitation of resources.

The appeal is another political attempt to undermine Morocco’s sovereignty, as international momentum increasingly favors a realistic and lasting solution under Moroccan autonomy.