UK appeal court upholds decision over Sahara case

An appeal court in the UK upheld a decision it made in 2021 which allows Morocco to continue with its trade agreement with the UK unhindered.

In December 2022, the Western Sahara Campaign UK (WSCUK), lost a legal challenge against Britain’s trade agreements with Morocco over goods from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The court rejected the argument put forth by WSCUK that products from Western Sahara should only receive preferential tariffs if they were produced with the consent of the region’s people; instead, the court ruled that extending preferential import duty rates to goods from Western Sahara was lawful.

The WSCUK appealed this verdict and on May 25th, the London Court of Appeal has definitively rejected the appeal. This ruling reaffirms the validity of the association agreement and establishes a long-term partnership and cooperation between Morocco and the UK, providing a solid framework for economic and commercial relations in various sectors, according to Maghreb Arab Press. 

Arab Weekly/Maghreb Arab Press/AFP