The problem of air links to Western Sahara
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will visit Morocco in the second week of February. The visit aims to strengthen ties between the European Union and Morocco but takes place in a politically sensitive context.
In particular, a recent statement regarding air connections with Dakhla is causing tensions.
Von der Leyen, who was reappointed in 2024, had already visited Morocco in 2022. Her new visit is intended to underscore the political and economic partnership between Rabat and Brussels. According to diplomatic sources, the European Commission wants to demonstrate that Morocco remains a key strategic partner. At the same time, Rabat is working on bilateral agreements with European countries in the fields of fisheries and agriculture after existing EU deals were annulled by the European Court last year.
The CJEU ruling on trade agreements with Morocco
On October 4, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the fisheries and agricultural agreements between the EU and Morocco were invalid, arguing that Morocco had not sought the approval of the population of the southern provinces. This legal dispute makes it difficult for the European Commission to negotiate new agreements without disregarding existing court rulings.
The situation became even more complicated on January 20, when EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas stated that the aviation agreement between the EU and Morocco does not apply to flights between an EU member state and Western Sahara region. This statement, made in response to a question from Irish MEP Lynn Boylan, further strains political relations.
The European Commission is thus walking a fine line. On one hand, Brussels does not want to jeopardize its relationship with Rabat, but on the other, it remains bound by legal rulings. Von der Leyen’s visit is expected to clarify the EU’s approach to these issues and determine whether there is room for new cooperation.
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