In a written question to the European Commission, MEP Jordi Cañas denounced the alleged fraud on the export of tomatoes produced in the Sahara with Moroccan packaging.
A practice that violates, he says, European regulations and the association agreement between the EU and Morocco.
This export fraud is detrimental to Spanish tomato producers and benefits Morocco, whose exports are increasing, argues Cañas, who asks the community executive to ensure that the kingdom respects this agreement. “The sale of these tomatoes labeled as Moroccan violates many European laws and the EU-Morocco Association Agreement, which establishes that products arriving in Europe are required to have a label that indicates the origin of their production. Denounces Cañas in his question.
According to a report by the NGO Mundubat, 7 to 14% of tomatoes exported by Morocco to the EU market are produced in the fields of Dakhla from where they are transported to Agadir and mixed with tomatoes from the region. from Souss, before being packaged and labeled as a 100% Moroccan product.
This situation creates unfair competition with European producers and “causes a fall in the production of tomatoes in countries like Spain”, also points out Cañas, who asks the European Commission to launch an investigation “into the alleged fraudulent practice denounced in this report. report ”and explain how it intends to ensure Morocco’s compliance with the EU-Morocco Association Agreement as well as Council Decision 2019/217 on agricultural products grown in the Sahara.
