The European Court Annuls Two Trade Agreements with Morocco Regarding Western Sahara

The European Court of Justice issued a ruling annulling two trade agreements between Morocco and the European Union, signed in 2019, related to fishing and agriculture, due to their disregard for the principle of self-determination for the Sahrawi people. The court considered the consent of the Sahrawi people a necessary condition for the validity of the agreements, which had not been achieved. The court also rejected requests to overturn its previous 2021 ruling. In response, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the ruling as a "blatant political bias," pointing out legal flaws and errors in the judgment.