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.
The following overview enlists stock-exchange registered companies currently operating in Western Sahara. Updated 5 October 2024.
What should we expect from the EU institutions, the member states and the businesses now as David beat Goliath in the EU Court of Justice? WSRW has carved out some suggested steps.
Saharawi refugees today took to the streets in the refugee camps to celebrate the victories in the EU Court of Justice.
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”.
“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.
The EU Commission this afternoon commented on its loss in the EU Court of Justice regarding trade and fisheries in the territory of Western Sahara.
So far, no oil and gas have been discovered in Western Sahara. Two exploration licences are today operated by foreign companies, both from Israel, both offshore.
The French company Engie has since 2023 been installing windmills in occupied Western Sahara for a massive project that would lead to the large-scale settlement of Moroccan farmers in the occupied territory.
For the eleventh year in a row, Western Sahara Resource Watch publishes a detailed, annual overview of the companies involved in the purchase of conflict phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
For the first time, Portugal is the biggest exporter of gas products into occupied Western Sahara.
The French government intends to finance a cable that will transport energy from Morocco's illegal projects in occupied Western Sahara to Morocco proper.
The two Spanish companies that are exporting practically all petroleum into occupied Western Sahara remain non-communicative.
How can it be wrong to develop renewable energy, in a world that is in desperate need for a green transition? In Western Sahara, the problems are numerous.
The Advocate General of the EU’s top Court backs the legal status of the people of Western Sahara. Final Judgment expected in a few months.
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.
After undertaking work for the Moroccan state phosphate company in Western Sahara, the Danish consultancy giant COWI states that it “will not engage in further projects" in the occupied territory.
An external evaluation report on the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement 2019-2023 confirms that the agreement revolves, in its entirety, around Western Sahara.
At the company’s Annual General Meeting on 26 February 2024, Siemens Energy’s board could not rule out any further projects in occupied Western Sahara.
The WSRW report P for Plunder 2023 to be published in April 2023 will contain information on all vessels that departed occupied Western Sahara from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
A US company is partnering with the government of Morocco for an infrastructure project in the illegally occupied Western Sahara.
WSRW has never received a response that politically propagated the occupation to the degree as the one received from a French campaigner for Morocco on behalf of renewable energy company HDF Energy.
WSRW has been invited to contribute to an EU Commission document on trade with Moroccan interests in occupied Western Sahara. This is why we reject taking part.
Half of Moroccan shellfish exporters approved for export into the EU, are in fact located in occupied Western Sahara.
Morocco has for six years avoided directing plunder vessels via South Africa, whose courts have ruled the phosphate plunder of occupied Western Sahara to be illegal. First test is taking place now.
The Erasmus+ financed youth exchange that was supposed to take place in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, has reportedly been moved.
The Norwegian government pension fund has announced that it has excluded Delek Group from its portfolio due to its petroleum exploration offshore occupied Western Sahara.
A project supported by the EU Commission's Erasmus+ programme is to send European youth to “North Africa” - but without informing them that they are lured into normalising the illegal occupation of Western Sahara.
Saharawi civil society voices concern over Morocco's gigaplans for renewable energy in occupied Western Sahara during COP28 climate summit and to UN special rapporteur.
As leaders, businesses and civil society from all over the world gather for climate talks in Dubai, one people remains basically unrepresented.
The German government has clarified that its financial support for Siemens Energy will include a provision excluding the firm’s projects in “Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara”.
French HDF Energy announces its partnership in gigantic green hydrogen production project in occupied Western Sahara.
Companies that want to be perceived as taking human rights responsibly, should not bid on a large tender that will connect Morocco's illegal energy production in Western Sahara to the Moroccan grid, WSRW warns.
Morocco must immediately release a group of leading human rights defenders, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention demands.
Up to 81% of all land that the Moroccan government has allocated for new, gigantic plans for renewable energy, green hydrogen and ammonia, is located outside of Morocco's international borders, in occupied Western Sahara.
On 23 and 24 October, the EU Court of Justice will hear the parties to the cases on applying EU-Morocco agreements to occupied Western Sahara.
A Norwegian-controlled ship is now offloading Chinese wind turbines in the Canary Islands. Grieg Maritime says that its routines did not detect that the mills were to be installed in occupied Western Sahara.
The controversial assessment that Global Diligence did on occupied Western Sahara for a project that will employ thousands of Moroccan settlers need to be released by French company Engie, WSRW demands in a letter.
Throughout its impact studies, relations with the Moroccan government and partners, and a recent announcement of arrival of windmills to occupied Western Sahara, Engie has shown a total disregard for the UN's approach to the conflict.
This week, the first components that will be used for Engie' highly problematic windmill programme in Western Sahara have arrived to the occupied territory.
Images have appeared of highly controversial windmills on Canary Islands, in transit for Engie's project in occupied Western Sahara.
The German insurance company Allianz goes all in when it politically defends the brutal Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
Western Sahara republic expresses wish to be included in UN-led climate governance.
A private Chinese battery manufacturer denies rumours from the Moroccan government that it had planned gigantic and potentially highly controversial investments in occupied Western Sahara.
The Swedish truck company Scania, part of Volkswagen, offers services in occupied Western Sahara.
The controversial 300 MW Boujdour wind farm - owned by Enel and supplied by Siemens Gamesa - has been commissioned in occupied Western Sahara.
The Western Sahara republic yesterday announced the signing of a new onshore mineral exploration licence.
The UN recognised representation of the people of Western Sahara is today meeting with Canary fishermen to explore continued fishing opportunities as the EU-Moroccan fisheries are coming to an end.
Swedish fishing vessels are being exported to occupied Western Sahara.
From early May, the Royal Air Maroc ran a propaganda campaign in Strasbourg selling trips to the occupied territory of Western Sahara.
The French company Alcatel has been observed working on the telecom cables into the occupied territory.
French telecom company Orange is proud to finance business opportunities in the Moroccan kingdom's ”southern provinces", praying that “may God assist His Highness, the Moroccan king”.
NewMed's gas exploration licence offshore occupied Western Sahara is "illegal”, Polisario lashes out in a release.
Another controversial wind farm - Aftissat II - is about to be finalised in occupied Western Sahara.
The French insurance company has posted a video of its local leaders having a wonderful time in the occupied territory.
Morocco's illegal exports of phosphate rock through a controversial conveyor belt has been targeted by what is claimed to be a bomb.
For the first time, the USA is the biggest exporter of gas into Western Sahara.
Nearly all petroleum that arrived in occupied Western Sahara in 2022 originated from refineries in Spain.
The Chinese company Envision Energy is going to supply Engie with the windmill components for its controversial windfarm near Dakhla in occupied Western Sahara.
The cement sales of Heidelberg Materials in occupied Western Sahara could have increased by 150% in two years.
Information from the Moroccan government shows that plans are materialising for a new gigantic solar farm in occupied Western Sahara.
The fish stocks of occupied Western Sahara have not only attracted the interest of the Moroccan fleet: other foreign interests are also fishing in the occupied waters through arrangements with Moroccan counterparts. Along the Western Saharan coastline, a processing industry has emerged.
For over 40 years, a Moroccan state-owned company has exported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.
… and resumption remains uncertain.
A study shows that Morocco's greatest potential for green hydrogen lies in the territory it holds under military occupation.
The invasion of Ukraine causes a massive increase in Morocco's profits from its illegal plunder of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara. New WSRW report shows that the export volume remained stable throughout 2022.
Morocco has told the UN Human Rights Council that it will not take the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people into account.
A highly self-contradictory statement regarding its conflict windmills in occupied Western Sahara was issued by Siemens Gamesa yesterday.
The Australian fertilizer company first promised to answer questions on the imports of conflict minerals from occupied Western Sahara. Then it went silent.
The Italian company Bedeschi obtained a contract for building infrastructure for export of conflict minerals from occupied Western Sahara.
Here are the owners of Delek Group which is behind the oil search offshore occupied Western Sahara.
The African Development Bank has not funded the construction of a controversial Moroccan energy cable in Western Sahara, even though public tender documents suggested that it would.
The CEO of Siemens Energy denounces the occupation of Ukraine, but does not “have the mandate to take a political position on such issues or to confirm a territorial status” in the occupied territory of Western Sahara where the company operates for the Moroccan government.
The EU Commission has authored a new report detailing how Moroccan settlers benefit from a trade agreement that has been found illegal by the EU Court of Justice multiple times.
The WSRW report P for Plunder 2023 to be published in April 2023 will contain information on all vessels that departed occupied Western Sahara from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
The Israeli company that signed an agreement for hydrocarbon exploration in occupied Western Sahara claims to follow “the laws in force”. But of which country?
The Universities of Kiel and Hamburg have taken part in mapping the seafloor offshore occupied Western Sahara, seemingly without knowing where they carried out the operation.
Contrary to previous promises by UK company Xlinks, Moroccan regional president now says the renewable energy plants that are to supply the UK will be located in occupied Western Sahara.
Without waiting for the final ruling of the EU Court of Justice, the EU Commission has seemingly started preparation for further fisheries in the waters offshore occupied Western Sahara.
A Greek company lobbied the EU parliament to undermine international law in Western Sahara, a leaked letter documents.
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.
Israel's NewMed Energy today announced it has signed a deal with Morocco to produce natural gas offshore Boujdour, bringing former Cairn Energy back into the occupied territory.
Ten states today took the opportunity to comment on Morocco's human rights track record in Western Sahara, the territory that it holds under illegal occupation.
The Maritime Union of Australia denounces the renewed imports of stolen conflict minerals into Australia.
The EU is again undertaking ‘consultations’ on illegal EU-Morocco trade agreements in occupied Western Sahara. Here is why WSRW refuses to engage.
WSRW calls on UN Member States to address Morocco's plunder of Western Sahara during Morocco's UPR review in November.
A group of Saharawi refugees yesterday demonstrated against the Australian company Incitec Pivot. The company has bought a cargo of conflict minerals from a mine on their land, from the occupation government.
Morocco and Nigeria signed an agreement on the planned offshore gas pipeline between the two countries, projected to turn onshore in occupied Western Sahara.
The Australian company Incitec Pivot has today confirmed that it is the purchaser of a cargo of phosphate rock that the Moroccan government has exported out of the territory held under illegal occupation.
A small, new and unknown Australian company claims to have acquired a mining licence in occupied Western Sahara.
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights concludes Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara to be a serious violation of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.
Australia is to receive its first controversial phosphate shipment from occupied Western Sahara in six years.
In a letter letter to the UN Secretary-General, WSRW calls for a more balanced and truthful reporting on Morocco's illegal plunder of occupied Western Sahara's resources.
Even after a likely intervention of the Canadian public accounting firm regulator, the mining company Metalex keeps misleading about its licences on occupied land in reports audited by Davidson & Company.
Three months after French company Engie condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the company inks deals to start building a large water project in Western Sahara, in partnership with the government of the illegal occupier Morocco.
Controversial Spanish-Moroccan business meeting to kickstart in occupied Western Sahara today.
25 million Euros of EBRD loans will be provided to yet another Moroccan bank - for projects that risks being located in occupied Western Sahara.
The Australian company confirms to undertake a pipeline study through Western Sahara, four months after WSRW contacted the company over the matter.
The company defended its controversial operations during the AGM on 12 May.
In the middle of Moroccan-Spanish maritime disputes offshore Western Sahara, Morocco is lobbying for a defender of the occupation of Western Sahara to sit at an important UN scientific body for maritime continental boundaries.