At Morocco’s Borders, Spain Prepares Major Customs Change Within 18 Months
Madrid is preparing the official request that would allow Ceuta and Melilla to join the European customs union. Spain’s foreign minister refers to a procedure lasting one to one and a half years. At Morocco’s border, the change still depends on the unanimous agreement of the 27 member states.
The timeline was given on 23 September by José Manuel Albares. Interviewed on Cadena SER, Spain’s foreign minister estimated that bringing the two cities into the customs union would take “one year or one and a half years,” reports Europa Press. The formal request is still being prepared.
The Spanish ministries concerned are drafting a proposal that will be communicated to the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla before being sent to Brussels. Albares says he has already discussed the project with European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who reportedly mentioned the possibility of slightly shortening the procedure.
On Bladi.net : Spanish Enclaves Ceuta and Melilla Consider EU Customs Union Amid Border Tensions
Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain and the European Union, but they are currently outside the EU’s customs territory. This exception dates back to Spain’s accession in 1986. The European Commission specifies that preferential rules already apply to their trade with the rest of the Union.
A decision impossible without the agreement of the 27
The Spanish government must first submit its request. The Commission will examine it and, if appropriate, present a proposal. The European Parliament will be consulted, after which the Council of the EU will have to decide unanimously.
Madrid intends to follow the legal path once taken for the Canary Islands. This precedent also shows that a European agreement and its full implementation can be separated by a transitional period.
Ceuta was already advocating joining the European customs union in 2021. The matter is taking on another dimension today: this time, the Spanish government itself is preparing the request. This initiative is part of a set of measures including a permanent Frontex presence and representation for the two cities on the European Committee of the Regions.
On Bladi.net : Spanish Enclaves Ceuta and Melilla Seek EU Integration to Boost Economy
For Morocco, the issue is concrete, but its effects remain to be determined. The movement of goods at the land borders was disrupted again this summer. The integration of Ceuta and Melilla into the European customs territory would change their status vis-à-vis the EU; it would not, on its own, settle the conditions governing the movement of goods between the two cities and Morocco.
Madrid has therefore begun preparing a change that has been expected for years. Its impact on trade at the border will depend on the text submitted to Brussels, any transitional provisions and, first of all, the unanimous vote of the 27.
