Spanish tomatoes on alert due to competition from the Sahara, fueled by unprecedented concessions and EU funds

 

The EU tomato sector, represented by the FEPEX Tomato Committee, has denounced a situation of unfair competition caused by the unprecedented support of the European Commission to the productions of the Sahara, which will benefit from community funding for water infrastructure and new labeling rules following the regulatory amendment of last November 26.

 

Changes in labelling: an unprecedented situation in EU regulations

 

The recent approval of the amendment to Delegated Regulation 2023/2429 on marketing standards for fruit and vegetables has generated deep concern in the Spanish sector. This measure authorizes the export of produce originating from Western Sahara are marketed within the European Union under specific regional designations: “Dajla Oued Ed-Dahab” y “El Aaiún-Sakia El Hamra”.

 

According to FEPEXThis decision replaces the mandatory mention of "Western Sahara", contravening what was established by the judgment of Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) in case C-399/22 and current EU legislation requiring clarity in the country of origin. For Spanish producers, this is a “unprecedented situation” where a rule is modified that obliges all marketers to benefit a third country.

 

The direct consequences pointed out by the Committee are twofold:

• Harm to the European consumer: Transparency is eliminated, preventing clear labeling about the true origin of the product.
• Deliberate confusion: The Spanish sector will have to compete with vaguely identified productions that have strong growth forecasts.

 

Community funding for water and energy in the Sahara

 

Alongside the labeling issue, European producers face the challenge that Saharan products will receive EU funding in strategic sectors. According to the agreement between the European Commission y Morocco From the past October 2 —already in provisional force—, funds will be allocated to water (including irrigation), energy and desalination.

 

This agreement seeks to circumvent the sentence of CUE of October 4, 2024, which declared the Association Agreement illegal with regard to the Sahara due to the lack of consent of the Sahrawi people. As stated Jose Maria Pozancos, FEPEX advisor, the new treaty presumes such consent approving funding for regional development and humanitarian aid for the Tindouf refugee camps.

 

Impact on the sector: figures of an asymmetric crisis

 

The situation exacerbates unfair competition. While the Spanish sector suffers from water scarcity, its direct competitor will receive EU aid to solve precisely this problem through desalination and irrigation. FEPEX considers it crucial that the European Parliament Do not ratify this agreement in the coming months to guarantee the survival of the Spanish tomato.

 

The following figures illustrate the decline of the domestic sector compared to the Maghrebi boom over the last decade:

 

Indicator	Evolution (Last Decade)
Tomato production in Spain	-31%
Spanish tomato exports	-25%
Tomato exports from Morocco	+ 269 %

 

El FEPEX Tomato Committee, chaired by Juan Jesús LaraIt is composed of representatives from key associations such as Proexport (Murcia), Coexphal (Almeria), Faeca (Grenade), Fexphal (Alicante) and Fedex (Canary Islands).

 

Key points and frequently asked questions about the tomato conflict and the EU

 

What regulatory change is FEPEX denouncing regarding labeling?
FEPEX denounces the modification of Regulation 2023/2429, which allows labelling of Sahara products with regional names (“Dajla Oued Ed-Dahab” or “El Aaiún-Sakia El Hamra”) instead of “Western Sahara”, making it difficult to identify the real origin.

 

What type of funding will the agricultural sector receive in the Sahara?
According to the agreement of October 2, Saharan productions will receive EU funding for key sectors such as energy, water, irrigation infrastructure and desalinationcritical factors for agricultural competitiveness.

 

How does this affect tomato production in Spain?
It exacerbates unfair competition, since Spanish producers, whose exports have fallen by 25%, must compete with a third country that receives European aid to solve its water shortage and whose shipments have grown by 269%.