EU Acknowledges Separate Status of Western Sahara
On September 2, 2026, the European Commission officially recognized, in response to a parliamentary inquiry, that the Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the European Union and Morocco does not apply to flights between EU member states and the Western Sahara region. This statement reiterates the distinct legal status of the region, separate from that of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The response was delivered by European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apollos Tzitzikostas, addressing a written question posed by Spanish Member of Parliament Irini Montiero. The inquiry focused on the legal basis for flights connecting various European cities to the occupied cities of Laayoune and Dakhla.
In its response, the Commission explicitly stated that "the Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the EU and Morocco does not apply to flights from the territory of an EU member state to the territory of Western Sahara," citing rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union as the basis for this assertion. This official acknowledgment represents yet another affirmation of the legal victories gained by the Sahrawi cause within the European judiciary, particularly following the landmark rulings issued by the Court of Justice on October 4, 2024, which established that Western Sahara is a distinct and separate territory from Morocco. Furthermore, it clarified that international agreements made between the EU and Morocco cannot be automatically extended to the Sahrawi region.
The parliamentary question highlighted that European airlines are currently operating flights between Paris and Dakhla, Madrid and Dakhla, as well as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Laayoune, despite the fact that the aviation agreement between the EU and Morocco does not encompass Western Sahara. It called upon the Commission to clarify the legal and administrative basis for these flights and their compliance with EU law and the rulings of the Court of Justice.
In its reply, the Commission explained that the legal basis for these flights is rooted in bilateral agreements that the concerned member states have established with Morocco. For instance, the agreement between France and Morocco dates back to 1957 and was notified to the Commission on September 23, 2004, while the agreement between Spain and Morocco is from 1970 and was notified on July 16, 2004.
The Commission's response is particularly significant as it puts an end to any attempts to automatically categorize European flights to the occupied Sahrawi territories as covered by the aviation agreement between the EU and Morocco. It explicitly confirms that the European-Moroccan agreement does not extend to Western Sahara.
These developments occur amid a series of judicial and institutional rulings in Europe that have solidified the distinction between Morocco and Western Sahara, affirming that the Sahrawi people possess independent rights to their territory and resources. It stresses that their will cannot be overlooked in any agreement or activity concerning the region.
At the same time, the Polisario Front continues its legal and political struggle at both the European and international levels, advocating for the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence. As reported by spsrasd.info.
