Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
220. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the cases lodged with the General Court (T-907/25 and T-908/25) regarding the council decision amending the EU-Morocco Association Agreement concerning Western Sahara and the labelling of good originating in Western Sahara has influenced the Government's position in the ongoing council process on this agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14456/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 4 October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) upheld an earlier ruling of the General Court annulling the Council Decision on the conclusion of a 2018 Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco. The 2018 Agreement sought to extend tariff preferences laid down in an EU-Morocco Association Agreement to products originating in Western Sahara. The Court set a deadline of 4 October 2025, in that it maintained the effects of the Council Decision until that date. The Commission thus worked to negotiate a new agreement between the EU and Morocco by that date.
The EU and Morocco signed a new Agreement on 3 October 2025 and its provisional application began.
On 2 October 2025, Ireland voted in favour of the Council Decision via written procedure, indicating that Ireland would not stand in the way of EU consensus and in order to ensure that the EU complied with its legal obligations. However Ireland also registered procedural and substantive concerns about the Commission’s handling of this process.
Ireland made clear that we expect to receive regular updates from the Commission on key issues as the agreement is implemented.
Ireland’s engagement on this issue, was at all times guided by the Grand Chamber judgment of the CJEU. All of our efforts during this process were aimed at ensuring that the Agreement met the conditions set out by the Court.
The process towards adoption of a Council Decision on the conclusion on behalf of the EU of the new Agreement with Morocco has not yet reached its conclusion; the next step requires the consent of the European Parliament. Ireland has continued to follow up with the EU Institutions with regard to an expected date for this next step. We have not yet received an update in this regard.
Throughout the process, Ireland has made clear our view that the compatibility of the agreement with the fundamental principle in international law of the right of peoples to self-determination should be paramount in the implementation of this agreement.
