For months, France has been pushing the European Union to adopt a more assertive industrial strategy. The goal? To shift away from an over-reliance on open markets and global competition as the sole drivers of European competitiveness. Instead, Paris advocates for a robust industrial policy that prioritizes European preferences in key sectors while reducing dependence on external suppliers—particularly China. At the heart of this push is the European Commission’s proposed regulation on industrial acceleration, championed by Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné. Though internal negotiations have scaled back some of its original ambitions, France continues to press for an expanded scope: extending European preference mechanisms in public procurement, purchases, and subsidies beyond clean technologies, energy-intensive industries, and electric vehicles to include shipbuilding, rail equipment, and chemicals.
a deeply integrated industrial relationship
The sectors targeted by France’s proposed policy are precisely where the industrial cooperation between France and Morocco has flourished over the past two decades. Morocco stands out as the European Union’s most deeply integrated industrial partner outside its borders. This unique position places France in a delicate balancing act: advocating for a stringent “Made in Europe” model while nurturing a long-standing strategy of co-industrialization with a non-EU nation. In the automotive sector, Renault’s plant in Tangier and Stellantis’ facility in Kenitra operate as seamless extensions of French production lines. Local suppliers manufacture components directly feeding into European industrial hubs. A similar integration is evident in aerospace, where companies like Safran, Daher, and Latécoère have woven Moroccan manufacturing capabilities into their global supply chains. Morocco is no longer just a low-cost assembly hub; it has become a strategic partner in sustaining France—and Europe’s—industrial competitiveness. This partnership now spans critical areas such as electric vehicle batteries, green hydrogen, critical materials, port infrastructure, and digital technologies.
Morocco has evolved from a cost-effective production base to a cornerstone of France’s industrial resilience.
balancing openness with strategic selectivity
France’s stance is not about isolating Europe behind protectionist walls. Rather, it aims to prevent a diluted “Made with Europe” approach—one that indiscriminately includes all 80-plus of the EU’s trade partners—from eroding the very meaning of European preference. Paris advocates for a more discerning model: distinguishing between countries that actively contribute to European competitiveness and supply chain security and those that remain mere external suppliers—or worse, potential threats to European sovereignty. The question now is whether this vision will gain traction among the 27 EU member states.
In mid-July, EU leaders are set to conduct a first political assessment of the ongoing negotiations on the industrial acceleration regulation. Germany’s position will be pivotal. Historically, Berlin has viewed French proposals for a European industrial preference with skepticism, fearing trade restrictions from Beijing and possible retaliation against its automotive industry. However, with an unprecedented industrial crisis and rising political pressure at home—exacerbated by the growing influence of right-wing factions—Germany can no longer cling to a rigid free-market stance. Could a model of selective openness to trusted partners emerge as a compromise between France and Germany? This could determine the future of the France-Morocco industrial partnership. While France has not explicitly listed Morocco as a candidate for this preferential treatment, its broader industrial and diplomatic strategy positions the Kingdom as a natural fit.
the parliamentary dimension of the debate
The outcome will also hinge on decisions made in the European Parliament, where two French rapporteurs hold pivotal roles in shaping the final regulation. Their responsibility—and that of French delegations—will be to ensure that the new regulatory boundaries being drawn do not inadvertently undermine the long-term prospects of the Morocco-France industrial partnership.
