Morocco is not blocking the opening of customs in Ceuta and Melilla, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares.
During a press conference following the Council of Ministers, Albares addressed concerns about the timeline for the customs opening and the possibility of it happening before the general elections, in response to recent information published by ‘El País’ suggesting a breach of deadlines by Rabat.
Albares stated that the roadmap agreed upon with Morocco for the customs opening is being fulfilled. He refuted claims of any breach of agreements reached during the High Level Meeting held in Rabat on February 1 and 2. The minister highlighted that Melilla has been without a customs office since 2018, and historically, Ceuta has never had a customs office.
Emphasizing the complexity of the process, Albares explained that several factors need to be verified.
He acknowledged that the last step, which involves the movement of goods not only from Ceuta to Morocco but also from Morocco to Ceuta, had encountered some delays due to the ongoing electoral call.
However, he assured that all necessary steps are being taken to address the situation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ remarks aim to dispel concerns and affirm that the agreed-upon roadmap for opening customs in Ceuta and Melilla is progressing as planned.
On the basis of the new roadmap, adopted on April 7, 2022, on the occasion of the visit of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Morocco at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, the two countries have committed, among other things, to address issues of common interest in a “spirit of trust and consultation”, while reactivating the working groups set up between the two countries to revive multi-sectoral bilateral cooperation.
In the Joint Declaration that crowned the work of their 12th High-Level Meeting, held on February 1 and 2 in Rabat, Morocco and Spain expressed their commitment to perpetuate the relations of excellence that have always united them and reaffirmed their will to permanently enrich them.
On this occasion, the two parties signed several cooperation agreements in various fields, such as migration management, tourism, infrastructure, water resources, the environment, agriculture, vocational training, social security, transport, health security and research and development.
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