Guarantee of the single market
Across France and Belgium, freight movement faces renewed challenges as protests by some farming groups disrupt supply chains. Fepex, the Federation of Spanish Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, criticizes the French action for harming Spanish production while ignoring the broader impact on third countries and global markets, including the United States. In 2022, Morocco France stood out as the main entry route for Moroccan fruits and vegetables, accounting for half of the EU’s total imports from Morocco.
Fepex notes that France remains the largest buyer of Moroccan fruit and vegetable exports, yet French farmers continue to target Spanish growers, clashing with EU regulations that aim to ensure fair competition. Eurostat confirms that in 2022 Moroccan imports reached 1,540,851 tonnes, with France importing 776,839 tonnes—50 percent of the total—placing France among the top two European buyers of non-EU agricultural products. France also ranks high among member states for non-European imports.
Guarantee of the single market
Fepex urges French authorities to safeguard the free movement of goods and to avoid actions that could erode the integrity of the single market. The organization points out that Spain itself imports substantial quantities from France, including 809,239 tonnes of potatoes in 2022, underscoring how linked national markets are within the union.
Spanish farmers feel a comparable strain to their French counterparts, according to Fepex. The federation aligns with the core demands put forward by FNSEA, France’s principal protest organizer, which emphasizes the dignity of farmers, fair compensation for their labor, and the establishment of workable conditions for agricultural practice. Fepex argues that legislative gaps, insufficient consideration of food sovereignty, and inconsistent policy discourse hamper progress toward sustainable farming and fair trade within the union.
Fepex calls for a substantive reform of common agricultural policy, especially around phytosanitary standards. The aim is to secure reciprocity with third-country suppliers to the EU and to strengthen safeguards against uneven practices that could distort competition for European producers.
Reaction of the Spanish Government
Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, responded to French concerns about alleged unfair competition among EU states, stressing that European marketing and production standards are harmonized and applied uniformly across member states. The minister emphasized that no member country gains a competitive edge from divergent standards and highlighted the equal application of rules from France to Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and beyond.
Planas defended the quality image of Spanish products, arguing that high recognition across Europe and many other markets stems from the commitment of farmers, ranchers, and the agri-food industry to quality and competitiveness. The emphasis remained on the shared responsibility of all actors in maintaining rigorous standards that protect consumers and support sustainable production, rather than on protectionist or retaliatory measures.