Answer given by Ms Šuica on behalf of the European Commission
28.3.2025
EU development cooperation with non-EU countries is a parallel competence of the EU and the Member States. The Commission ensures that cooperation with non-EU countries aligns with EU interests and does not harm Member States by enforcing strict eligibility criteria, transparency standards and robust monitoring systems.
Concerning the logistical corridors in southern Europe, the Algeciras — Bobadilla railway forms an integral part of the Mediterranean and Atlantic European Transport Corridors.
The designated coordinators of both corridors are committed to ensuring that this line is developed and upgraded within the given deadlines and complies with the defined infrastructure standards of the new trans-European transport network (TEN-T) Regulation (EU) 1679/2024[1], which was adopted in June 2024. In the TEN-T Regulation, the Algeciras — Bobadilla railway line is designated as a core network line for both freight and passenger services.
The Commission closely analyses and monitors EU country partners’ policies that may affect the European economy. For instance, as regards tax good governance standards that were developed based on t he Commission’s 2016 External Strategy for Effective Taxation[2], Morocco currently complies with all the criteria of the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes, after amending the preferential tax regime (Casablanca Finance City) in 2020, thus addressing potential threats to Member States’ tax base.
The Code of Conduct Group for business taxation, with technical assistance of the Commission, will monitor that Morocco continues to comply with the EU listing criteria.
Understanding the impact that Morocco’s policies could have is vital for crafting appropriate strategies to support EU industries’ growth and competitiveness and safeguard the EU common market.