The friction that marked recent years stemmed largely from rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union concerning trade agreements covering the Sahara, as well as critical statements from the European Commission. However, Lkasmi argues that neither Rabat nor Brussels had a genuine interest in allowing those tensions to solidify. This position is now shared by a growing number of EU member states — including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Latvia — reflecting a broader international convergence that also includes the United States and Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The 30-year-old Association Agreement, high-level political dialogue, deep trade ties — the EU remains Morocco’s largest investor and trading partner — and security cooperation all form a solid foundation. But the more significant shift is qualitative: a move toward co-construction of priorities, where Morocco and the EU negotiate on equal footing rather than a top-down Brussels-to-Rabat model.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 19, 2026 11:15 UTC