Morocco Revamps International Trucking Rules Amid EU Fuel Restrictions

For the past six months, a European provision has limited Moroccan TIR trucks to 200 liters of diesel fuel upon entry into Spain. A decision that has impacted the competitiveness of Moroccan international road transport, although its implementation is legal. In addition, for some time now, Spanish carriers have been traveling to Morocco with isolated semi-trailers that are taken over in Tangier by Moroccan tractors, operated by companies incorporated in Morocco, which are still subsidiaries set up in Tangier by Spanish carriers. This leads to non-counting under the quota.

Thus, a provision of the 2012 agreement provides that the traction of an isolated and loaded semi-trailer, on the Moroccan section, by a Moroccan tractor, requires a cooperation contract with a Moroccan transport company. The cooperation contract comes into effect on October 26 in Tanger Med, for any isolated and loaded Spanish semi-trailer, in addition to the original registration certificate.

Until now, Spain remains the only transit point to other European countries; thus, Morocco quickly exhausts its quota each year. "In terms of road transport and even economic relations, we are in a serene and peaceful relationship with Spain," said Abdelilah Hifdi, president of the National Federation of Transport (FNT), part of the CGEM, reported Médias24.com.

For the record, Morocco is a destination country for Spanish road hauliers and is becoming more and more a transit country to sub-Saharan Africa, via Guergarate. In addition, road transport between the two countries is based on a bilateral agreement concluded in 2012 and regulating the activity of road freight and passenger transport.