Morocco Set to Reopen Trade with Melilla Under New Terms

According to El Faro de Melilla, the government delegate, Sabrina Moh, would have announced to some local businessmen the reopening in the coming weeks of the commercial customs with Morocco, unilaterally closed by the kingdom since August 2018. Morocco would have decided to export fruits and vegetables as well as fish to Melilla, and accepted the import of certain well-defined products from the autonomous city.

This reopening only concerns a category of goods whose list will be established by Morocco, it is specified, stressing that no measure has been announced regarding the passenger regime. Several Melilla businessmen have expressed concerns about this reopening, citing the absence of an inspection and control point for Moroccan products at the Beni-Enzar border. According to these local entrepreneurs, Morocco would try to obtain a customs agreement at the regional level to import products manufactured in Melilla.

After the normalization of its relations with Spain in 2022, Morocco announced the reopening of the commercial customs of Melilla and the creation of a customs in Ceuta. But since then, it is the status quo. The Moroccan authorities have mentioned "technical issues" that would prevent the reopening of the customs. For their part, the Spanish authorities have assured that everything is ready for the reopening of the customs.