The European Commission has dismissed allegations of tax fraud in Moroccan tomato exports to the European Union, affirming that the imports comply with existing trade agreements.
The clarification came after European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen responded to a written inquiry by Spanish Member of the European Parliament Carmen Crespo. Crespo had raised concerns about Morocco allegedly exceeding its duty-free tomato export quota under the EU-Morocco Association Agreement.
“These imports comply with the terms of the 2012 Association Agreement,” Hansen stated. He explained that Moroccan tomatoes entering the EU above the agreed quota are permitted as long as the applicable customs duties are paid.
Between 2019 and 2024, customs authorities collected approximately €81 million in duties on these out-of-quota tomato shipments. Hansen acknowledged that Moroccan tomato exports had surpassed the tariff quota since 2019, but reiterated that such imports remain lawful. “Out-of-quota imports are subject to customs duties and therefore comply with the agreement between Morocco and the EU,” he confirmed.
Crespo had urged the Commission to investigate what she described as a case of ‘fraud,’ estimating that the EU may have lost more than €71.7 million in revenue since 2019. However, the Commission’s response now contradicts those claims, confirming that the trade practices align with legal provisions.
Morocco’s tomato industry has seen major growth over the past decade, with production increasing by 17.36% between 2014 and 2023. Output rose from 1.23 billion kilos in 2014 to 1.44 billion kilos in 2023, further establishing the country as a key player in the global tomato market and a major competitor within the EU.
This growth has sparked concern among Spanish tomato producers, who view Moroccan imports as a threat to their industry. In February 2024, farmers in Algeciras, Spain, held a protest against Moroccan agricultural imports, with some accusing Morocco of saturating the EU market with inferior-quality produce. The demonstration reflected a broader sense of frustration among EU farmers over competition from non-EU countries.
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