The variety list requirement

Cannabis strains must appear on Morocco’s approved variety list. However, applications for inclusion on the list and cultivation licences can be submitted simultaneously — so this does not create a delay for those entering the market.

The 1% industrial limit in context

The 1% THC limit applies to the plant variety and the final product. Most EU member states cap industrial hemp at 0.3% THC; Morocco’s threshold is more permissive. A plant that incidentally exceeds its expected THC level due to weather or soil conditions would not automatically breach the law.

EU cultivators face the risk of crop seizure or destruction if plants exceed permitted levels. Cautious EU operators routinely sow seeds with expected THC well below the threshold for this reason. The Czech Republic, at 1%, is the only EU member state that matches Morocco’s industrial limit; most are at 0.3%.

What this means for the European market

Morocco’s regulatory flexibility, combined with its geographical proximity to southern Europe and existing trade relationships with EU member states, positions it as a potential supplier for the European cannabis market — particularly for medical and pharmaceutical uses where there is no THC ceiling.

Cross-border considerations

Law 13-21 governs cultivation and processing in Morocco. Businesses operating across borders also need to consider EU customs rules and the domestic law of the importing country. The governing law of any investment or supply contract will depend on what the parties have agreed — or, in the absence of agreement, what private international law rules apply.