Visa Crackdown on Moroccan Drivers Disrupts European Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain

Road haulage (TIR) drivers are not the only ones impacted by France’s decision to reduce the number of visas for Moroccans. The Saint-Charles international multimodal platform, Europe’s leading marketing and transport platform for fresh fruits and vegetables, is also affected by this decision, reports Les Inspirations ÉCO.

With an annual turnover of more than 750 million euros, this platform markets more than 1.768 million tons of fresh products, of which more than 25% come from Morocco and 65% from Spain.

Since the implementation of this measure in September, 415 Schengen visas have been refused to Moroccan truckers, forcing the TIR vehicle fleet to operate at just 40% of its capacity. This leads the site to conclude that "the reduction in visas is detrimental to economic exchanges, particularly the exports and imports of fresh fruits and vegetables between Morocco and France, the main destination for the shipment of Moroccan products".

The trade union office of truck owners and drivers of the TIR, affiliated with the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT), has launched a strike movement since November 21 to protest against this measure which is seriously impacting the Moroccan economy.