Fruit and vegetable producers across the EU have this week warned of potential "harmful consequences" from a proposed EU-Morocco agreement revision.

European organisations representing fruit and vegetable producers - COPA and COGECA, AREFLH and EUCOFEL have sounded the alarm over the European Commission’s proposed revision of the EU–Morocco Association Agreement, along with a new delegated act on origin labelling.

The groups says the proposal would "threaten to undermine European producers, breach key EU legal principles, and mislead consumers".

In a joint letter to the European Parliament, the organisations denounced the proposal as a "direct violation of EU law and values".

The proposal extends preferential tariffs to products from Western Sahara and allows origin labels to use regional names.

Risks

Producer’s organisations have highlighted several risks with the revision.

"First, this agreement exposes European producers to unfair competition from Western Saharan products grown under lower social and environmental standards," the groups said.

"Second, at a time when EU fruit and vegetable growers are already facing intense market pressure from rising imports, the revision risks further displacing European production, exacerbating economic strain on farms across the union.

"Moreover, the agreement delegates critical control to Moroccan authorities for issuing conformity certificates, weakening EU oversight and raising serious concerns about compliance with European standards."

Producers says the commission is "leaving EU producers vulnerable to distorted competition and market instability", as it has "failed to reform the agreement and to address long-standing demands".

EU growers have sought mirror clauses and "robust" safeguard mechanisms for a number of years.

European producers this week called on members of the European Parliament to support the objection of the delegated act on origin labelling for fruit and vegetables from Western Sahara put for vote in the plenary.