Rabat, October 5, 2024 – The Europe Today: Hungary has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the European Union’s strategic partnership with Morocco, despite a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that questions trade agreements involving the disputed Western Sahara region.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that enhancing ties with Morocco serves the shared interests of both the EU and the North African nation.
“We will continue to work to serve these interests by strengthening ties and expanding cooperation with Morocco into new areas,” the ministry said.
The statement follows the CJEU’s ruling on EU-Morocco fisheries and agricultural agreements, which challenged the legality of including products from Western Sahara, a region involved in a long-standing territorial dispute. The court ruled that these agreements were concluded without sufficient consultation with the local population, violating the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
Despite this legal challenge, Hungary, along with other key EU member states, has expressed its intent to maintain strong relations with Morocco.
The Hungarian foreign ministry stated it is carefully reviewing the court’s decision but reaffirmed its commitment to deepening the partnership with Morocco.
Morocco has strongly rejected the CJEU’s ruling, viewing it as a threat to the country’s territorial integrity. The Moroccan government has pointed to a recent UK High Court decision, which dismissed a similar challenge against a Morocco-UK trade agreement, as a more balanced approach to international trade involving Western Sahara.
