While the European Parliament swiftly adopted a resolution condemning the alleged involvement of Qatar in the corruption scandal that is shaking the EU to its core, a majority of MEPs voted against a similar approach of Morocco. These are the MEPs.
Photo by @ElliLorz: Moroccan infrastructure in occupied Western Sahara.
Yesterday, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on “suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions”. The text was approved by an overwhelming majority of MEPs, with only two votes against and three abstentions.
The vote comes on just days after the arrest of several Members of the European Parliament, assistants, lobbyists and civil servants over their suspected involvement in corruption, money laundering and organised crime supposedly involving both Qatar and Morocco in exchange for influence at the European Parliament.
The investigation is carried out by the Belgian authorities. Commenting on the case to the Belgian national Parliament, Belgium's Minister of Justice stated on the role of Morocco, that "the intelligence services of that country (the DGED) would play an active role in those activities of interference. The interests can be many. To name one: fishing rights."
Italian media has also referred to the European Parliament's 2019 vote on the proposal to explicitly include Western Sahara in the geographic scope of the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement, as a key-target for Morocco. Just one year before, the European Court of Justice had ruled the agreement to be unlawful inasfar as it was applied to Western Sahara, as Morocco has no sovereignty or administering role over the territory. The amended agreement, approved by the EU Parliament in that crucial 2019 vote, is at present being scrutinised by the EU Court of Justice.
The text of the Resolution however only focussed on the role of Qatar, while the involvement of Morocco seems to grow deeper as the investigation continues. At least one of those arrested in relation to the alleged bribery - the partner of the now ex-Vice President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili (S&D) - has reportedly confessed to having been part of an organisation that tries to interfere in EU politics on behalf of Morocco.
An amendment proposing that the Resolution would express similar concern in relation to Morocco's role in the scandal, was however rejected by a majority of MEPs: while 238 MEPs favoured equal treatment of Morocco, 253 MEPs voted against the proposal, and 67 MEPs abstained in the vote. Find their names in the box below.
The text of proposed amendment 31, suggested by Sira Rego and Manu Pineda (The Left) reads: “Expresses deep concern about the allegations that Morocco has also attempted to influence Members, former Members and staff of the European Parliament through acts of corruption; calls for the application of measures in line with those applied to the representatives of Qatari interests while investigations are ongoing.”
“Considering how the alleged corruption by the Qatari and Moroccan interests have taken place in the same manner, it is incomprehensible that Members of the European Parliament would address the cases differently. It does not lend credibility to the moral compass of the Parliament”, stated Sara Eyckmans, coordinator of Western Sahara Resource Watch.
Contrasting the refusal to treat Morocco in a similar vein, the adopted Resolution on Qatargate contains strong language aimed at the Gulf country. To quote but some, the European Parliament:
This is how each MEP voted on the proposed amendment to treat Morocco in a similar way to Qatar, while the criminal investigation into corruption is ongoing:
VOTED AGAINST:
ECR: Jurgiel, Tošenovský, Vondra, Vrecionová, Zahradil
PPE: Adamowicz, Ademov, Adinolfi Isabella, Alexandrov Yordanov, Arias Echeverría,Arłukowicz, Asimakopoulou, Băsescu, Bellamy, Benjumea Benjumea, Berendsen,Bilčík, Bogdan, Bogovič, Braunsberger-Reinhold, Buda, Buşoi, Buzek, Casa, Caspary, del Castillo Vera, Clune, Colin-Oesterlé, Comi, van Dalen, Danjean, De Meo, Didier, Doleschal, Dorfmann, Duda, Ehler, Evren, Falcă,Fernandes, Frankowski, Franssen, Gahler, García-Margallo y Marfil, Geuking, Gieseke, Glavak, Hansen, Hava, Hetman, Hohlmeier, Hölvényi, Hortefeux, Hübner, Jahr, Juknevičienė, Kalinowski, Kanev, Kefalogiannis, Kelly, Kokalari, Kopacz, Kovatchev, Kubilius, Kympouropoulos, Lenaers, Lexmann, Liese, Lins, López-Istúriz White,Maldeikienė, Manders, Marinescu,
Markey, Martusciello, Mato, Mažylis, Meimarakis, Melbārde,Melo, Millán Mon, Montserrat, Morano, Mortler, Motreanu,Mureşan, Mussolini, Niebler, Nistor, Novak, Novakov, Olbrycht, Pereira Lídia, Pieper, Pietikäinen, Polfjärd, Pollák, Radtke, Regimenti, Salini, Sander, Sarvamaa, Schreijer-Pierik, Schwab, Seekatz, Sikorski,
Simon, Šojdrová, Sokol, Spyraki, Stavrou, Štefanec, Terras, Tobé, Tomac, Tomc, Vandenkendelaere, Verheyen, Virkkunen, Voss, Vuolo, Walsmann, Warborn, Weiss, Wieland, Winkler, Wiseler-Lima, Zagorakis, Zarzalejos, Zdechovský, Zoido Álvarez, Zver
Renew: Alieva-Veli, Al-Sahlani, Andrews, Ansip, Auštrevičius, Beer,Botoş, Boyer, Charanzová, Christensen, Cioloş, Cseh, Decerle, Dlabajová, ĎurišNicholsonová, Eroglu, Flego, Gheorghe, Glück, Goerens, Gozi, Hahn Svenja, Hlaváček, Hojsík, Ijabs, in 't Veld, Karlsbro, Katainen, Kelleher, Körner, Kyrtsos, Loiseau, Løkkegaard, Rasmussen, Melchior, Mihaylova,Mituța, Müller, Oetjen, Pekkarinen, Petersen, Pîslaru, Poulsen, Rafaela, Ries, Riquet, Semedo, Ştefănuță, Strugariu, Thun und Hohenstein, Toom, Torvalds, Tudorache, Wiesner, Wiezik
S&D: Aguilera, Ameriks, Androulakis, Avram, Balt, Biedroń, Blinkevičiūtė, Borzan, Bullmann, Burkhardt, Carvalhais, Cerdas, Cimoszewicz, Ciuhodaru, De Basso, Durá Ferrandis, Ecke, Ertug, Fernández, Fritzon, Gálvez Muñoz, García Muñoz, Gardiazabal Rubial, González, Grapini, Homs Ginel, Hristov, Incir,Jerković, Kammerevert, Kohut, Köster, Lange, Leitão-Marques, Liberadzki, López, Lucke, Maestre Martín De Almagro, Maldonado López, Marques Margarida, Marques Pedro, Matić,Mavrides, Maxová, Mikser, Miller, Moreno Sánchez, Noichl, Ohlsson, Olekas, Papadakis Demetris, Penkova, Picula, Rodríguez-Piñero, Ruiz Devesa, Sánchez Amor, Santos, Silva Pereira, Sippel, Stanishev, Ušakovs, Van Brempt, Wölken, Yoncheva, Zorrinho
ABSTAINED:
ECR: Berg, Berlato, Bourgeois, Brudziński, Czarnecki, Dzhambazki, Fidanza, Jaki, Kanko, Karski, Kempa,
Kopcińska, Kruk, Kuźmiuk, Legutko, Mazurek, Milazzo, Możdżanowska, Nesci, Procaccini, Rafalska, Ruissen,
Rzońca, Saryusz-Wolski, Stancanelli, Szydło, Tarczyński, Tobiszowski, Waszczykowski, Wiśniewska,
Zalewska, Złotowski
ID: Androuët, Bardella, Beigneux, Bilde, Dauchy, Garraud, Griset, Jalkh, Jamet, Lebreton, Mariani, Minardi,
Olivier, Rougé
NI: Bay, Bocskor, Deli, Deutsch, Gál, Győri, Gyürk, Hidvéghi, Járóka, Juvin, Kolakušić, Kósa, Meuthen, Schaller-Baross, Tóth
PPE: Niedermayer
Renew: Keller Fabienne
S&D: Bischoff, Cutajar, Durand, Kumpula-Natri
VOTED FOR:
ECR: Buxadé Villalba, Fragkos, Hoogeveen, Ilčić, Krasnodębski, Lundgren, Nissinen, de la Pisa Carrión, Rooken,
Roos, Terheş, Tertsch, Weimers
ID: Adinolfi Matteo, Anderson, Annemans, Baldassarre, Basso, Beck, Blaško, Bonfrisco, Borchia, Buchheit,
Campomenosi, Casanova, Ceccardi, Chagnon, Conte, Da Re, David, Fest, Ghidoni, Grant, Haider, Joron,
Krah, Kuhs, Lacapelle, Limmer, Lizzi, Panza, Reil, Rinaldi, Sardone, Tovaglieri, Vandendriessche, Vilimsky,
Vistisen, Zambelli, Zanni, Zimniok
NI: Beghin, Castaldo, Comín i Oliveres, Danzì, Ferrara, Gemma, Giarrusso, de Graaff, Gyöngyösi, Konstantinou,
Nikolaou-Alavanos, Papadakis Kostas, Pignedoli, Ponsatí Obiols, Puigdemont i Casamajó, Radačovský,
Rondinelli, Sinčić, Sonneborn, Uhrík, Ždanoka
PPE: Arimont, Bernhuber, Karas, Mandl, Schmiedtbauer, Winzig
Renew: Azmani, Bauzá Díaz, Bilbao Barandica, Brunet, Cañas, Canfin, Chastel, Cicurel, Danti, Ferrandino, Gamon,
Groothuis, Hayer, Huitema, Joveva, Nagtegaal, Nart, Pagazaurtundúa, Poptcheva, Rinzema, Solís Pérez,
Tolleret, Trillet-Lenoir, Vautmans, Vedrenne, Verhofstadt, Vázquez Lázara, Yenbou
S&D: Agius Saliba, Andrieu, Ara-Kovács, Bartolo, Benifei, Beňová, Bergkvist, Chahim, Covassi, De Castro,
Engerer, Fuglsang, Glucksmann, Gualmini, Guillaume, Hajšel, Heide, Jongerius, Lalucq, Larrouturou,
Laureti, López Aguilar, Mebarek, Molnár, Moretti, Muigg, Nemec, Picierno, Pisapia, Regner, Repasi, Reuten,
Roberti, Rónai, Schaldemose, Schieder, Sidl, Smeriglio, Tang, Tax, Tinagli, Toia, Ujhelyi, Variati, Vind,
Wolters
The Left: Arvanitis, Aubry, Björk, Botenga, Chaibi, Daly, Demirel, Flanagan, Georgiou, Georgoulis, Gusmão,
Kizilyürek, Kokkalis, Kountoura, Matias, Maurel, Mesure, Omarjee, Pelletier, Pineda, Rego, Rodríguez Palop,
Schirdewan, Scholz, Urbán Crespo, Wallace
Verts/ALE: Alfonsi, Andresen, Auken, Bloss, Boeselager, Breyer, Bricmont, Bütikofer, Carême, Cavazzini, Cormand,
Corrao, Cuffe, Dalunde, D'Amato, Delbos-Corfield, Delli, Deparnay-Grunenberg, Eickhout, Franz, Freund,
Gallée, Geese, Gregorová, Gruffat, Guerreiro, Hahn Henrike, Häusling, Hautala, Herzberger-Fofana,
Holmgren, Keller Ska, Kolaja, Kuhnke, Lamberts, Langensiepen, Marquardt, Matthieu, Metz, Miranda,
O'Sullivan, Pedicini, Peksa, Peter-Hansen, Reintke, Riba i Giner, Ripa, Roose, Ropė, Satouri, Semsrott, Solé,
Spurek, Strik, Toussaint, Urtasun, Vana, Van Sparrentak, von Cramon-Taubadel, Waitz, Wiener
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The European Parliament has expressed itself in favour of holding debates in three parliament committees about the exclusion of Western Sahara from EU-Morocco trade agreements.
“This is a momentous victory for the people of Western Sahara. At a time when international law is under pressure, it is fundamental that the EU follows its own court and stops collaborating with the occupier through illegal trade agreements”, stated Western Sahara Resource Watch. This morning, the EU Court of Justice issued a landmark ruling.
In its ruling this morning, 4 October 2024 the EU Court of Justice ruled that products from Western Sahara on the EU market cannot be labelled “from Morocco”.
Labelling those products as originating in the Kingdom of Morocco instead of originating in Western Sahara breaches EU law, the Advocate General of the EU Court of Justice concludes.