Eu parliament greenlights Morocco air deal excluding western Sahara

The legal clarity of an updated aviation accord between the European Union and Morocco has been reinforced—but only in theory. While the revised agreement explicitly excludes the Western Sahara, European airlines continue to operate flights to the disputed territory, bypassing the accord’s territorial restrictions.

July 8, 2026 marked a decisive moment when the European Parliament endorsed the protocol updating the Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement, a move necessitated by Croatia’s accession to the EU. The revised framework passed with 625 votes in favor, 16 against, and 20 abstentions.

The protocol itself serves a technical purpose, adjusting the agreement to align with Croatia’s new status within the bloc. Crucially, it does not expand the territorial scope of the aviation accord, leaving the status of Western Sahara unchanged under the existing terms.

Debate surrounding the vote revealed sharp divisions among lawmakers. Many parliamentarians supported the update precisely because it maintains the status quo, adhering to EU jurisprudence and repeated clarifications from the European Commission that the accord does not apply to Western Sahara.

However, a minority of dissenting voices raised concerns. These critics pointed out that while the agreement itself does not cover the territory, the European Commission has failed to prevent EU airlines from operating flights to Western Sahara—flights that fall outside the legal framework of the accord. This discrepancy, they argue, creates a troubling inconsistency with both international law and EU regulations.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has consistently ruled that EU-Morocco agreements are only valid within Morocco’s internationally recognized borders unless the people of Western Sahara consent. In a landmark 2018 decision, the Court determined that the aviation agreement does not extend to Western Sahara, a stance later confirmed by the European Commission in multiple communications to EU carriers.

Despite this unambiguous legal position, several European airlines continue to fly to airports in occupied Western Sahara. Ryanair, for instance, has initiated direct routes from EU cities to Dakhla, even though these operations fall outside the scope of the EU-Morocco aviation framework. Beyond Ryanair, other carriers—including Transavia (a KLM–Air France subsidiary), Air Arabia, and Binter Airlines—have also operated flights to the territory in recent years, alongside Morocco’s national carrier, Royal Air Maroc. Attempts to obtain a response from KLM–Air France and Air Arabia regarding these practices have gone unanswered.