Spain pushes EU to resolve Moroccan truck driver visa crisis

The visa crisis affecting Moroccan international freight companies has begun to impact major Spanish businesses, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The sources told Hespress AR that Spain’s ambassador to Morocco, Enrique Ojeda Vila, raised the issue during a meeting with Moroccan Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh on the sidelines of the maritime conference held last week in Tangier.

According to the same sources, the ambassador reaffirmed Madrid’s commitment to working toward a solution and advocating for the issue before European Union institutions.

The meeting, attended by Amer Zghinou, president of the Association Marocaine du Transport Routier Intercontinental (AMTRI), reportedly included detailed discussions on the economic fallout of the ongoing crisis for Spanish companies closely linked to Moroccan transport operators.

Sources said the Spanish ambassador acknowledged the scale of the challenges facing Moroccan road freight companies and the knock-on effects on Spanish firms operating in strategic sectors, particularly the automotive industry, where supply chains have reportedly begun experiencing disruptions in recent days.

The sources added that Ojeda Vila is expected to submit an updated report to Spanish authorities urging further action to help resolve the visa issue affecting Moroccan drivers — a problem that has increasingly concerned both Moroccan and, to a lesser extent, Spanish businesses.

During the same meeting, AMTRI’s president reportedly praised Spain for what he described as a more flexible approach toward visa applications filed by Moroccan truck drivers, in contrast with procedures at several other European embassies and consulates.

The issue was also discussed earlier this month during a phone call between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bouritaand his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares, according to the sources.

The meeting between the Moroccan transport minister and the Spanish ambassador reportedly aimed to implement understandings reached during those diplomatic exchanges.

The crisis stems largely from complications linked to the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which entered into force on April 10 and introduced additional administrative and operational burdens for Moroccan professional drivers traveling to Europe.

In previous remarks in Casablanca, Kayouh said the visa issue was the focus of a virtual meeting held Monday with the European commissioners responsible for sustainable transport and tourism, as well as internal affairs and migration.

The minister said discussions centered on “constraints related to visa issuance,” which he described as a genuine obstacle to the competitiveness of Moroccan companies.

Kayouh added that the talks were “very positive,” noting that short-, medium- and long-term solutions had been proposed and would be examined in coordination with Spanish authorities to facilitate Moroccan drivers’ access to the European market.