Morocco to Limit Sebta Border Trade to Domestic Products, Officials Say

Addressing the issue, a senior official of the Tetouan regional customs directorate acknowledged that if the commercial customs office were to be installed in Sebta, it would serve only the traffic of Moroccan goods from Morocco to the autonomous city, reports Ceuta Ahora.

The Foreign Ministers of Spain and Morocco announced last week the total "normalization" of land and maritime border traffic of people and goods starting in January 2023. As part of the resumption of their relations, the two countries discussed the reopening of the commercial customs office of Melilla, closed since August 2018 by Morocco, and the opening of a new customs office in Sebta.

Spain will soon start renovation work on the Tarajal border to accommodate the commercial customs office, the Moroccan source assured, stressing that only small goods such as fish and various "made in Morocco" products will be allowed to cross this border to Sebta. No Spanish, European or Chinese product will pass through this customs to enter Morocco, insists the senior Moroccan customs official.

This official explains that all imports of products from Spain or any other origin must pass through Tangier. If this customs model is set up in Sebta, it is clear that it would not benefit the economic development of the autonomous city. Talks are continuing between the authorities of the two countries to reach a mutually beneficial solution.