London, March 18, 2013 (SPS) the Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), welcomed the new Dutch government's decision not to consider the products originating in the Western Sahara as Moroccan products.
The new Dutch government has reiterated the position of their predecessors: Products from Western Sahara cannot enter the EU market labelled as from Morocco.
In the Dutch Parliament during question time, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans said that “according to European regulations, products from Western Sahara cannot enter the European markets as if they were from Morocco”.
The minister said he would take a position "more active" on the issue in the Council of Ministers of the EU.
The Netherlands will be the second country to raise the issue in the Council of the EU underlines the WSRW.
Last month, the Swedish Minister for Trade Ewa Björling stated that they had brought up the same issue in the Council. Sweden had made it clear that they share the Dutch interpretation of the EU’s trade agreement with Morocco.
“Since no EU Member State recognises Morocco’ sovereignty over Western Sahara, products made in the territory cannot be given trade preference under the EU-Morocco trade agreements,” she said.
“The EU-Morocco trade agreement, allowing for a significant increase in the EU’s imports of fruit and vegetables from Morocco, entered into force in October 2012,” said WSRW, stressing that “The deal has come under fire for failing to exclude the territory of Western Sahara, thereby condoning produce from the occupied territory to enter the EU stamped as being from "Morocco".
080/090