Brussels (Belgium), December 8, 2025 (SPS) - The Belgian capital, Brussels, is preparing to host a major popular demonstration on Wednesday, called for by the Sahrawi community in Europe and organizations and associations in solidarity with the Sahrawi people, in protest against the trade agreement signed by the European Commission with the Kingdom of Morocco, which entered into force on October 3, and includes resources from Western Sahara.
This mobilization comes amid escalating European criticism of what is considered a "legal overreach" committed by the Commission by renewing the agreement with Morocco through a "non-transparent" process. Human rights activists and parliamentarians say this clearly contradicts the provisions of the European Court of Justice ruling issued on October 4, 2024, which confirmed the illegality of any agreement including resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the representatives of its people as the sovereign over their natural resources.
During the demonstration, which is scheduled to be held in front of the headquarters of the European Commission, representatives of the Sahrawi people and European solidarity figures will take turns delivering speeches condemning the agreement and expressing absolute rejection of it. The demonstration is set to conclude with an official statement addressed to the European Union institutions, calling on them to respect international law and the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and sovereignty over resources.
In the same context, and concurrent with this popular mobilization, the European Parliament will host an academic symposium under the slogan: "The Impact of the New Agreement between the European Union and Morocco on the Future of the UN Settlement in Western Sahara", with the participation of legal and political experts to discuss the repercussions of this agreement on United Nations efforts and the path of a peaceful solution to the conflict.
These developments follow what was described as a "historic vote" in the European Parliament on November 26, 2025, which showed a clear parliamentary majority rejecting the agreement. This comes at a time when EU institutions are preparing for upcoming crucial stages, most notably the final ratification phase which requires the approval of Parliament. This makes Brussels, in the coming days, a center for escalating political and legal debate over the future of the natural resources of Western Sahara.
