After the heads of the Commission and diplomacy, it is the turn of the European Council, the highest body of the EU, to disavow the lack of discernment of the judges of the CJEU, who decided, two weeks ago, the cancellation of agricultural and fishing agreements with Morocco.
At the end of their Summit on Thursday in Brussels, the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states reaffirmed the “great value” they attach to their “strategic” partnership with the Kingdom.
“It is necessary to preserve and continue to strengthen close relations with Morocco in all areas of the Morocco-EU partnership,” underlined the Council, which defines the general political orientations and priorities of the Union.
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The decision of the Court of Justice of the EU was followed by an unprecedented momentum in major capitals to express their commitment to cooperation with a long-standing privileged partner.
In a rare and far-reaching act, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, reaffirmed, in a joint statement, the European bloc’s commitment to further preservation and strengthening of close relations with Morocco in all areas, in accordance with the principle “pacta sunt servanda” (Conventions must be respected).
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Morocco has remained away from the European bazaar, between Brussels, seat of the Commission, and Luxembourg, seat of the CJEU, due to the fact that the Kingdom does not consider itself in any way concerned by the decision and “did not participate in any of the phases of this procedure.
Moroccan diplomacy was content to lay down the general framework for any future collaboration with the EU. The Kingdom will not subscribe to “any agreement or legal instrument which does not respect its territorial integrity and national unity”.
