Nordic MEPs criticize the Danish lobbying firm Rud Pedersen for working with Morocco to influence EU trade agreements related to occupied Western Sahara. They denounce the ethical implications of representing an occupying power and reject any dealings with the firm until it severs ties with Morocco, maintaining their stance against exploitation and occupation.
Recently, concerns regarding the Danish lobbyists, specifically Rud Pedersen (RP), employed by Morocco to advance lobbying efforts over contested trade and fisheries agreements with the European Union (EU) have emerged. Highlighting the moral implications, Nordic Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) assert that aiding an occupying power is both unethical and contributes to global instability, warranting political repercussions.
MEPs expressed disappointment upon learning from NGOs that RP had been contracted by Morocco’s Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM) to lobby in Brussels, due to the organization’s close ties with the Moroccan government. Notably, RP’s London office has hired the daughter of Morocco’s Foreign Minister, which raises ethical concerns about the firm’s operations.
The crux of the issue lies in RP’s stated focus on lobbying for “trade & agriculture,” which indirectly supports Morocco’s controversial actions concerning resources extracted from occupied Western Sahara. This exploitation is against international law, as neither the EU nor the United Nations recognizes Morocco’s claims to occupy the region.
In context, the European Court of Justice’s decision on October 4, 2024, reaffirmed earlier rulings that voided the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement and trade agreements due to Morocco’s exploitation of resources from Western Sahara. The MEPs argue that any agreement derived from such lobbying efforts inherently violates EU law.
Occupied territories cannot ethically benefit from trade agreements, yet RP’s activities appear aimed at circumventing the EU’s legal stance. The MEPs emphasize the need to oppose Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, which remains listed by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory, and reject any form of support for the ongoing exploitation by Morocco.
As a result, the MEPs declare a resolute stance against RP and will refuse to engage with the lobbying firm unless it severs ties with Morocco’s occupying authorities. They will extend this message throughout the European Parliament, advocating for a united front against supporting occupation and exploitation. MEPs maintain that businesses, like RP, have the freedom to choose their partnerships; however, politicians also reserve the right to impose consequences for those choices.
The engagement of Rud Pedersen by Morocco has raised serious ethical and political concerns among Nordic MEPs, who deem the actions as supporting an occupying power. The underlying principle asserts that aiding the exploitation of illegally occupied lands contradicts EU law and moral standards. Therefore, the MEPs have taken a firm stand, refusing to meet with RP until they dissociate from the Moroccan government, thereby advocating for justice and the rights of the Saharawi population.
Original Source: euobserver.com
