The European Parliament on 26 November came within a single vote of rejecting the European Commission’s controversial proposal to allow products from occupied Western Sahara to be labelled as originating from Moroccan administrative regions. The move would create an unprecedented derogation of EU marketing standards by replacing the legally required “country of origin” with a tailor-made “region of origin” - a mechanism designed solely for products from the part of Western Sahara that is occupied by Morocco. The proposal also clashes directly with the October 2024 ruling by the EU Court of Justice, which held that products from Western Sahara must be labelled as originating from Western Sahara, not from Morocco.

A majority of MEPs - 359 - supported the objection tabled against the Commission’s move. Only 188 voted against, with 76 abstentions. The objection required an absolute majority of the 720 MEPs to pass, meaning it fell one vote short. 

A handful MEPs submitted corrections of their votes after the formal procedure, shifting the numbers slightly: 359 in favour, 187 against, 77 abstentions. 

If a single one of those who voted abstain or against had been in favour, the outcome had been different.

Though the objection ultimately failed, the result represents a moral victory and a clear political signal: most MEPs refuse to endorse practices that blur the legal and political status of Western Sahara, an occupied territory, and bend internal EU legislation to Morocco’s will. Several MEPs from the south of Europe - in particular from Spain, Italy and France - seem to have voted against the interests of even their own domestic agricultural sector. 

How the political groups voted:

• A majority of S&D members supported the objection, as did Greens/EFA, The Left, and the ECR group.
• The EPP was deeply divided: 65 voted in favour, 67 against, 38 abstained.
• Renew was equally split among 31 for, 28 against and 9 abstentions.
• The far-right PfE group overwhelmingly opposed the objection, with only 13 voting in favour, 56 against and 9 abstentions.
   

Per country, the following stands out: 

• Over 80% of Slovenian, Maltese and Irish MEPs voted for.
• None of the Italian, Maltese or Cypriots voted against. 58 of the 64 participating Italian MEPs voted for.
• Only 1 out of 16 MEPs from Bulgaria voted for the objection. Only 20 percent of the French MEPs voted for.
• Greece had the lowest turnout of the voters, only 13 of 21 MEPs taking part in the vote.
• Half of Poland’s 46 participating MEPs abstained.
• France had the biggest number of MEPs not taking part in the vote at all: 18 did not vote, among those were all 9 MEPs from the Left Group. Around half of all 103 non-voters were from either France, Spain or Italy.

There were many important topics on the table yesterday. 49 of the 103 absentees on the Western Sahara vote were present in the room a few seconds before the important decision on the territory was to be made. Those 49 people who suddenly no longer took part in the voting were:

Radan KANEV, Davor Ivo STIER, Costas MAVRIDES, Kristoffer STORM, Mounir SATOURI, Thomas PELLERIN-CARLIN, Alexandre VARAUT, Bernard GUETTA, Manon AUBRY, Damien CARÊME, Leila CHAIBI, Emma FOURREAU, Marina MESURE, Arash SAEIDI, Anthony SMITH, Hans NEUHOFF, Alexandra GEESE, Martin SONNEBORN, Georgios AFTIAS, Fredis BELERIS, Vangelis MEIMARAKIS, Eleonora MELETI, Dimitris TSIODRAS, Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI, Daniele POLATO, Lucia ANNUNZIATA, Mario FURORE, Reinier VAN LANSCHOT, Mohammed CHAHIM, Mieke ANDRIESE, Marcin SYPNIEWSKI, Kamila GASIUK-PIHOWICZ, Krzysztof ŚMISZEK, Anna BRYŁKA, Tiago MOREIRA DE SÁ, Siegfried MUREŞAN, Andi CRISTEA, Vasile DÎNCU, Gabriela FIREA, Katarína ROTH NEVEĎALOVÁ, Lina GÁLVEZ, Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES, Cristina MAESTRE, Idoia MENDIA, Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ, Marcos ROS SEMPERE, Elena SANCHO MURILLO, Isabel SERRA SÁNCHEZ.

The overview below takes into account that 4 MEPs corrected their votes shortly after the vote in plenary: Kelleher (Renew) and Tonin (EPP) changed from “against” to “in favour”; Falcone (EPP) changed from “in favour” to “abstain”; González Casares (S&D) changed from “in favour" to “against”)

Who voted against the objection
(These MEPs supported allowing Western Sahara products to be labelled as Moroccan.)

ECR
Alexandraki, Bay Nicolas, Fragkos, Krutílek, Maréchal, Peltier, Ruissen, Trochu, Vondra, Vrecionová

ESN
Bausemer, Borvendég, Boßdorf, Buchheit, Bystron, Gražulis, Jungbluth, Khan, Schnurrbusch, Sell, Stoyanov, Volgin

NI
Anadiotis, Berg, Kabilov, Yoncheva

EPP
Aaltola, Arimont, Bellamy, Bentele, Berger, Brnjac, Bugalho, Caspary, Castillo, Cunha, Dahl, Doleschal, Düpont, Ehler, Ferber, Gahler, Gieseke, Glavak, Gomart, Gotink, Hansen, Herbst, Hohlmeier, Imart, Kanev, Kircher, Köhler, Kokalari, Kovatchev, Lazarov, Lexmann, Liese, Lins, Lopatka, McAllister, Mandl, Mehnert, Mertens, Morano, Niebler, Novakov, Pereira, Polfjärd, Radev, Radtke, Ressler, Schenk, Schneider, Schwab, Seekatz, Simon, Sokol, Sommen, Sousa Silva, Stier, Teodorescu Måwe, Tobé, Vaidere, Verheyen, Walsmann, Warborn, Wechsler, Winzig, Zdechovský, Zovko, Zver

PfE
Androuët, Bardella, Bartůšek, Bay Christophe, Brasier-Clain, Bryłka, Bžoch, Dauchy, Deloge, Deutsch, Dieringer, Disdier, Dömötör, Dostalova, Ferenc, Frigout, Furet, Gál, Garraud, Griset, Győri, Gyürk, Haider, Hauser, Jamet, Joron, Knotek, Knot, Kubín, László, Latinopoulou, Leggeri, Leonardelli, Mariani, Mayer, Nagyová, Nikolic, Olivier, Pennelle, Piera, Pimpie, Pokorná Jermanová, Rechagneux, Rougé, Sanchez, Schaller-Baross, Staněk, Steger, Szekeres, Thionnet, Tolassy, Valet, Vicsek, Vilimsky, Vistisen, Werbrouck

Renew
Auštrevičius, Azmani, Baljeu, Boyer, Canfin, Cassart, Chastel, Devaux, Farreng, Goerens, Groothuis, Hayer, Henriksson, Ijabs, Katainen, Keller, Kyuchyuk, Loiseau, Minchev, Mullooly, Paet, Petrov, Toom, Verougstraete, Wilmès, Yon-Courtin, Žalimas

S&D
Ballarín Cereza, Cepeda, Di Rupo, Fernández, Grapini, Homs Ginel, Jalloul Muro, López, López Aguilar, Moreno Sánchez, Sánchez Amor

Who abstained

(These MEPs chose not to take a position.)

ESN
Aust, David, Droese, Sypniewski, Zajączkowska-Hernik

NI
Braun, Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Roth Neveďalová, Sieper, Sorel

EPP
Adamowicz, Arłukowicz, Beke, Brejza, Budka, Buła, Chinnici, De Meo, Do Nascimento Cabral, Falcă, Falcone, Farský, Fourlas, Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Halicki, Hetman, Humberto, Joński, Kemp, Kohut, Kopacz, Lewandowski, Łukacijewska, Marczułajtis-Walczak, Mažylis, Moratti, Nykiel, Pedro, Popescu, Princi, Protas, Sienkiewicz, Szczerba, Tosi, Van Leeuwen, Wawrykiewicz, Wcisło, Wiseler-Lima, Zdrojewski

PfE
Annemans, Blom, Bonte, Diepeveen, Ehlers, Kruis, Tânger Corrêa, Vandendriessche, Zijlstra

Renew
Glück, Grudler, Hahn, Körner, McNamara, Oetjen, Strack-Zimmermann, Vasile-Voiculescu, Vautmans

S&D
Benea, Cârciu, Ceulemans, Gonçalves Bruno, Muşoiu, Negrescu, Nica, Penkova, Tudose, Vigenin

Who voted for the objection

(These MEPs voted to stop the Commission from labelling Western Sahara products as Moroccan.)

ECR
Axinia, Bartulica, Berlato, Bielan, Brudziński, Buda Waldemar, Cavedagna, Ciccioli, Ciriani, Crosetto, Donazzan, Dworczyk, Erixon, Fidanza, Fiocchi, Geadi, Gemma, Gosiewska, Inselvini, Jaki, Junco García, Kamiński, Kols, Madison, Magoni, Maląg, Mantovani, Milazzo, Mularczyk, Müller, Nesci, Obajtek, Ozdoba, Picaro, Piperea, Pozņaks, Procaccini, Razza, Rzońca, Sberna, Solier, Squarta, Sturdza, Szydło, Tarczyński, Târziu, Teodorescu, Terheş, Timgren, Tomaszewski, Torselli, Tynkkynen, Valchev, Van Dijck, Vivaldini, Wąsik, Weimers, Wiśniewska, Zalewska, Zīle, Złotowski

ESN
Anderson, Jongen, Mazurek, Uhrík

NI
Beňová, De Masi, Dostál, Firmenich, Geisel, Kaliňák, Kartheiser, Konečná, Laššáková, Lazarus, Nikolaou-Alavanos, Panayiotou, Pérez, Pürner, von der Schulenburg, Warnke, Zacharia

EPP
Abadía Jover, Agius, Arias Echeverría, Benjumea Benjumea, Berendsen, Bernhuber, Bogdan, Buda Daniel, Carberry, Casa, del Castillo Vera, Crespo Díaz, Dávid, de la Hoz Quintano, Doherty, Dorfmann, Estaràs Ferragut, Geuking, Giménez Larraz, González Pons, Grims, Hadjipantela, Hava, Herranz García, Juknevičienė, Kalniete, Kelly, Kolář, Kollár, Kulja, Lakos, Le Callennec, Lenaers, López-Istúriz White, Mato, Millán Mon, Montserrat, Motreanu, Mureşan, Navarrete Rojas, Nerudová, Nevado del Campo, Niedermayer, Pascual de la Parte, Pietikäinen, Ratas, Salini, Salla, Saudargas, Solís Pérez, Tarr, Ter Laak, Terras, Tomašič, Tomc, Tonin, Toveri, Vălean, Vincze, Vázquez Lázara, Walsh, Weber, Winkler, Zarzalejos, Zoido Álvarez

PfE
Borchia, Borrás Pabón, Buxadé Villalba, Ceccardi, Cisint, Girauta Vidal, Krištopans, Martín Frías, de la Pisa Carrión, Stancanelli, Tertsch, Tovaglieri, Vannacci

Renew
Agirregoitia Martínez, Allione, Al-Sahlani, Andrews, Barna, Bosse, Brandstätter, Christensen, Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Cowen, Eroglu, Friis, García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Gerbrandy, Hojsík, Joveva, Karlsbro, Karvašová, Kelleher, Kobosko, Løkkegaard, Ní Mhurchú, Ódor, Šarec, Singer, Streit, Stürgkh, Tomac, Vasconcelos, Wiesner, Yar

S&D
Agius Saliba, Andriukaitis, Angel, Arnaoutoglou, Attard, Bajada, Barley, Benifei, Biedroń, Bischoff, Blinkevičiūtė, Borzan, Bullmann, Burkhardt, Clergeau, Corrado, Costanzo, Cremer, Danielsson, Dibrani, Dobrev, Ecke, Eriksson, Fita, Fritzon, Geier, Germain, Glucksmann, Gomes, Gonçalves Sérgio, Gori, Grossmann, Gualmini, Guzenina, Heide, Incir, Jerković, Jouvet, Kalfon, Kaljurand, Lalucq, Lange, Laurent, Laureti, Lupo, Maij, Maniatis, Maran, Mebarek, Mendes, Mikser, Molnár, Moretti, Nardella, Nemec, Noichl, Ó Ríordáin, Papandreou, Picierno, Picula, Rafowicz, Regner, Repasi, Repp, Reuten, Ricci, Rodrigues, Ruotolo, Sargiacomo, Schaldemose, Scheuring-Wielgus, Schieder, Sidl, Sippel, Strada, Tavares, Temido, Tinagli, Tobback, Topo, Ušakovs, Van Brempt, Vešligaj, Vind, Wölken, Wolters, Zan, Zingaretti

The Left
Andersson, Antoci, Arvanitis, Botenga, Boylan, Clausen, Della Valle, Demirel, Everding, Farantouris, Flanagan, Funchion, Galán, Gedin, Georgiou, Günther, Kennes, Kountoura, Kyllönen, Montero, Morace, Oliveira, Palmisano, Pappas, Pedulla’, Salis, Saramo, Schirdewan, Sjöstedt, Tamburrano, Tridico

Greens/EFA
Andresen, Asens Llodrà, Bloss, Boeselager, Bosanac, Bricmont, Camara, Cavazzini, Cormand, Eickhout, Freund, Gregorová, Guarda, Häusling, Holmgren, Kuhnke, Lagodinsky, Langensiepen, Lövin, Marino, Marquardt, Marzà Ibáñez, Matthieu, Metz, Miranda Paz, Neumann, Niinistö, Nordqvist, Ohisalo, Orlando, Paulus, Peter-Hansen, Prebilič, Reintke, Riba i Giner, Riehl, Schilling, Scuderi, Sinkevičius, Søvndal, Staķis, Ștefănuță, Strik, Strolenberg, Tegethoff, Toussaint, Van Sparrentak, Vieira, Waitz

The European Parliament file from the vote can be downloaded here.