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ECJ guidelines EU-Morocco trade deals void in Western Sahara

The European Court of Justice ruled on Friday that the European Commission had breached the right of individuals in Western Sahara to selfdetermination by concluding trade deals with Morocco.

Western Sahara, a system of desert the size of Britain, has been the scene of Africa's longest-running territorial disagreement given that colonial power Spain left in 1975 and Morocco annexed the area.

Friday's decision is the last judgment after numerous appeals by the Commission, the European Union's executive arm. The EU signed fishing and farming contracts with Morocco in 2019 that also covered products from the Western Sahara.

The authorization of the people of Western Sahara to the execution ... is a condition for the validity of the choices by which the (EU) Council approved those contracts on behalf of the European Union, the court stated.

It stated a consultation process that occurred had not included individuals of Western Sahara but the occupants who are currently present because territory, regardless of whether or not they come from the people of Western Sahara.

The court also ruled that melons and tomatoes produced in Western Sahara must now have their origin labelled as such.

Labelling should indicate Western Sahara alone as the country of origin of those products, to the exemption of any reference to Morocco, so regarding avoid misleading customers, it stated.

The Commission told press reporters it was presently evaluating the judgements in detail. Morocco's foreign ministry did not instantly respond to a Reuters ask for remark.

' HISTORICAL TRIUMPH'

The Western Sahara is led by the Algerian-backed Polisario Front that advocates for its own sovereignty. The Polisario stated the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in 1976. The United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991 ending a. guerrilla war between Morocco and the Polisario and tried to. organised a referendum.

It is a historic success for the Sahrawi people that. confirms the misdeeds of the EU and Morocco and validates the. permanent sovereignty of the Sahrawi people over their natural. resources, Oubi Bouchraya, the Polisario's agent to. the United Nations in Switzerland, informed Reuters.

It is the most eloquent reaction to the last unilateral. position of France and others.

Western powers consisting of the United States in 2020 and the majority of. just recently, France, have actually acknowledged a prepare for autonomy for the. people under Morocco's sovereignty which outraged Algeria.

Thousands of Sahrawi refugees have actually been stuck in limbo. living in desert camps in Tindouf, Algeria.

Bouchraya, who supervised of the European Court case,. added the EU had 2 options - to withdraw or work out with the. internationally acknowledged representative of individuals of. Western Sahara which is the Frente Polisario..

(source: Reuters)