Morocco Seeks Alternative Transport Routes to EU Amid Rising Demand for Spanish Permits

This shortage is justified by the overconsumption of these bilateral authorizations stamped, reports Le 360. It is also explained by the creation of new business models between Moroccan and Spanish carriers. In detail, the Spanish authorizations made available to the Moroccan side have increased from 15,000 in 2012 to 49,500 in 2018. In terms of consumption, they go from 20,800 in 2012 to nearly 62,300 in 2018. Faced with overconsumption, Morocco had requested additional allocations from the Spanish authorities.

In order to identify the evolution of trade and transport, the Ministry of Equipment and Transport plans to carry out a study. It will be responsible for tracing a model of the contingent of bilateral authorizations for international road freight transport. According to the same source, this study should explore other means of transporting the growing commercial flows, particularly in maritime transport, to cope with Morocco’s trade with the rest of the European Union (excluding Spain).

As for the EU, it intends to reduce noise and pollution as much as possible and promote environmental protection by avoiding the transfer of freight transport by road. It thus plans to integrate modes of transport by train-road, train-ship or train-plane combination.

Statistics show that the transport sector, mainly by road, is responsible for 25.7% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. In the European area, 45.3% of all transported goods travel by road, compared to 36.8 by sea. As for the remaining 17.9%, they are carried out by other modes (rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air).

Due to its low external costs compared to road transport, the EU is more inclined towards maritime transport. Spain, being aligned with the same transport policy as the European Union, must reduce the external costs caused by road freight transport, it is specified.