Perpignan, France – A dispute over agricultural trade and territorial labeling sparked important disruption Wednesday as French farmers blockaded a key logistics center in Perpignan. The protest, led by the Confédération Paysanne, centers on produce imported from Morocco that farmers allege is mislabeled as originating from that country when it is, in fact, sourced from the contested Western Sahara region. The action underscores escalating tensions within the EU over trade practices and the political status of western Sahara, a territory claimed by Morocco but largely unrecognized internationally.
Perpignan, France – French farmers disrupted operations at a major logistics platform in Perpignan on Wednesday, November 27, 2025, protesting a new trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco. The action highlights growing concerns over the sourcing of produce from the disputed territory of Western Sahara and the impact on European agricultural markets.
Around sixty members of the Confédération Paysanne, a leading French agricultural union, blockaded the Azura logistics center, a key import hub for fruits and vegetables, including those grown in the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. The protest began with farmers entering the facility, reportedly seeking to recover packaging from cherry tomatoes.
Authorities removed the farmers from the Azura premises, but the group continued their demonstration outside, preventing trucks from unloading goods. The Confédération Paysanne is challenging the recently implemented EU-Morocco agreement, which they claim was negotiated without transparency by the European Commission.
“This action aims to denounce the unfair competition suffered by producers in the European Union as well as the violation of the rights of the Sahrawi people,” the Confédération Paysanne said in a statement. The union asserts that the agreement allows for the exploitation of resources in Western Sahara without economic benefit to the local population.
The farmers are also taking legal action, filing a lawsuit against Azura and Maraissa, alleging tax fraud related to import duties. They claim the companies are illegally exporting products labeled as originating from Morocco when they are actually sourced from Western Sahara.
A key point of contention is the agreement’s revised labeling rules. The new version, which went into effect in October, replaces “country of origin” with “region of origin” for goods from Western Sahara, specifically using the Moroccan-imposed administrative divisions of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab.
However, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled on October 4, 2024, that products imported from Western Sahara, such as melons and tomatoes, must clearly indicate their origin as “Western Sahara” to avoid misleading consumers. The court emphasized that the labeling must not be deceptive.
The Confédération Paysanne had previously requested French authorities to ban imports of melons and tomatoes from Western Sahara due to the misleading “Made in Morocco” labeling. When the French administration remained silent, which the union interpreted as a rejection, they appealed to the CJEU for clarification on EU regulations.
“The blockade of one of the main French logistics platforms for fruits and vegetables sends a clear signal: European farmers are increasingly refusing to tolerate imports they consider illegal, unfair, or complicit in the occupation of Western Sahara,” said Sara Eyckmans of Western Sahara Resource Watch.
The Confédération Paysanne has announced plans for further protests both in France and in Brussels. Meanwhile, the Spanish association of small tomato producers, COAG, has also mobilized against Azura, filing complaints with Spanish consumer protection authorities regarding the company’s labeling practices.
The union stated it will decide on new actions on the ground and in Brussels.
