Spain-Morocco border agreement stalls amidst administrative roadblocks

Despite being signed over a year ago, the agreement between Spain and Morocco to open the Ceuta border for commodity transit remains unimplemented.

The agreement was made in April 2022 to increase the flow of products between the Spanish city and the adjacent Moroccan areas. However, no items have been carried between the two countries since then, according to the Spanish news site Internacional.

The lack of progress has been blamed on the lack of a customs office at the border, as well as worries about the kind of goods that may be crossed, the constraints they would face, and the quality of the food.

Customs technicians have been assigned to investigate these concerns, but progress has been slow.

According to records received by Internacional from the Spanish Tax Agency, the Ministry of Finance has no intentions to implement the Ceuta accord, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to the pact. This comes as Spain and Morocco work to repair their bilateral ties following months of turmoil.

Despite the lack of movement, the Spanish government has guaranteed the people that the deal will be implemented. The project has a €1.5 million budget, with intentions to adjust both the physical infrastructure and the administrative requirements of a customs crossing of products.

The government delegate in Ceuta also stated that the desired customs office will be of the regional variety, facilitating contact between two nearby districts. However, the potential benefits of the accord will remain unfulfilled until the agreement is fully implemented and goods flow between the two countries restarts.

Read Also: Ceuta border between Spain and Morocco closed amid migrant crossing

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