The European Union's new instrument for external action, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – also known as the Instrument for Europe in the World (IEM) – preserves access for Moroccan companies to EU-funded procurement, grants, and prizes, according to the project text.
However, the instrument includes a community preference clause that could increase the cost of participation for non-EU bidders by an estimated 15 to 30 percent. This clause aims to prioritize EU-based firms in certain tenders, potentially making Moroccan bids less competitive.
The NDICI, which entered into force in 2021 and is set to run until 2027, consolidates several previous EU external financing instruments. Morocco, a key partner in the European Neighbourhood Policy, benefits from this continued access, though the exact impact of the preference clause on Moroccan businesses remains to be seen.
As of July 2026, no official data has been released on the actual cost increase for Moroccan firms under the NDICI. The 15-30% figure cited in the original article could not be independently verified through official EU sources or recent reports.
