Morocco's Quest to be European

For much of the last century, Morocco’s policies were decided not in Rabat, but in Paris and Madrid which is part of the reason in 1987 Morocco applied to join what was then the European Economic Community, the precursor to the European Union. Morocco's Insane Quest to be European was immediately rejected on the grounds that Morocco was not considered to be a European country and therefore could not join.

The EU remains Morocco’s biggest trading partner and is a key customer for its manufactured goods and agricultural produce. French and Spanish tourists account for nearly half of all tourists visiting Morocco in a typical year. The EU also benefits from this relationship as Morocco has become fundamental in essential areas for the Union, such as counter-terrorism cooperation and migration control. Indeed, for an African country, Morocco is closer to Western partners than to its neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa region and the rest of Africa. Obviously, however, this is not the same for the EU. Despite its interest in the Southern Neighborhood, the plans developed for the region have always been of limited ambition compared to Morocco.


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