According to the Fepex Tomato Committee, "the EU tomato sector will have to face competition from the Sahara, in an unprecedented situation of EC support for Morocco as opposed to Spanish and EU producers."
The approval, on November 26, of the amendment proposed by the EC to delegated regulation 2023/2429 on marketing standards for fruit and vegetables will permit produce from Western Sahara to be marketed in the EU under the regional designations "Dakhla Oued Ed-Dahab" and "El Aaiún-Sakia El Hamra" instead of "Western Sahara," contrary to the ruling of the European Court of Justice (Case C-399/22) and EU legislation, which require the country of origin to be indicated on the labeling.
© Fepex
This situation is unprecedented because it alters a Community regulation, an obligation for all EU marketers, to favor production in a third country. This benefits foreign producers at the expense of European consumers, who lack clear labeling, and Spanish producers, who must compete with products that have false identification," the Committee stated.
"This new agreement sidesteps the EU Court of Justice's October 4, 2024, ruling that the European Commission's Association Agreement with Morocco on Saharawi products was illegal because it was signed without the consent of the Saharawi people. With the new treaty, the consent of the Saharawi people is presumed through the approval of two measures: funding for key sectors in the region, including water, irrigation, energy, and desalination, as well as humanitarian aid to the refugee camps in Tindouf," stated Fepex counselor José María Pozancos during the committee meeting.
"This will worsen the unfair competition faced by Spanish products compared to those from the Maghreb country, as not only will the tariff benefits granted by the Association Agreement to Moroccan products be extended to those from the Sahara, but the latter will also receive community aid for their development, especially in critical issues like water, whose scarcity is also one of the main problems for the Spanish sector."
For this reason, Fepex emphasized that stopping the European Parliament from ratifying the Agreement between the European Commission and Morocco in the coming months is crucial for the survival of Spain's tomato industry. The sector has seen a 31% drop in production and a 25% decline in exports over the past decade, compared to the 269% growth in exports from the Maghreb countries.
For more information: www.fepex.es
