EU fishing and farming deals with Morocco failed to include Western Sahara’s consent, top court says

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top court says fisheries and agriculture agreements reached between the bloc and Morocco five years ago failed to include consultations with the people of Western Sahara. The status of the Western Sahara is among the most sensitive topics in the North African kingdom. Morocco considers the vast mineral-rich territory as its “southern provinces” and fiercely defends against anything it considers to be a threat to its territorial integrity. In Friday’s ruling, the European Court of Justice said that for the EU-Morocco agreements to enter force, they “must receive the consent of the people of Western Sahara. However, such consent has not been given in this instance.”