After three years of negotiations, Morocco and Spain finalize the details of the opening of customs in Ceuta and Melilla.
The good diplomatic understanding between the two nations is also evident in this trade agreement, which will allow the transit of goods in both directions through the two border crossings.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries are very good following the recognition by Spain of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara as the most serious, credible and realistic option to resolve the Sahrawi dispute, which has lasted for more than 40 years, since Spain left the territory and the end of the colonial era.
A determination which was very positively appreciated by the Moroccan kingdom, since the question of Western Sahara is a priority because it relates to the defense of its territorial integrity.
Following this decision by the government of Pedro Sánchez, King Mohammed VI invited the President of the Spanish government to visit Rabat in April 2022, during which the roadmap for what would subsequently become Spanish-Moroccan political ties was developed.
One of the consequences of this diplomatic impulse was the High Level Meeting (HLM) held in Rabat in February 2023 and which was chaired by Pedro Sánchez and the head of the Moroccan executive, Aziz Akhannouch, during which dozens of agreements were initialed in various sectors very beneficial for both nations.
In this dynamic, the negotiations between the interministerial committees set up for the opening of the customs offices of Ceuta and Melilla, at the border posts between the two countries, were successful. They are already on the verge of success.
The customs agreement will begin for the moment with the transit of one truck per day, in both directions, through each of the two customs posts, on journeys in which certain agreed goods can be loaded.
This is good trade news for both nations, because the customs office in Melilla had been closed since 2018, after a stormy period in diplomatic relations between the two countries, while in Ceuta this customs crossing point has never been open.
For now, trading will be minimal and highly regulated in this initial phase. Products such as fruits, vegetables and fish will leave Morocco. Spain will export hygiene and cleaning products, household appliances and electronics.
As for what travelers can take with them, this question needs to be delimited because the procedure has not yet been clarified. Currently, Moroccan authorities do not allow people crossing the border to bring products purchased on the Spanish side.
For this part, Spain seeks to obtain a regulated trade agreement in Ceuta and Melilla, which is difficult because it could be understood that Morocco fully recognizes Spanish sovereignty over the two autonomous cities, which are currently integrated into the Spanish state despite being close to Moroccan territory.
