Reopening of trade route for goods via the Beni Enzar commercial customs office in Melilla

27.6.2022

Question for written answer  E-002281/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Jordi Cañas (Renew)

Two years ago, in a further effort to put the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in an economic chokehold, Morocco decided, unilaterally and using COVID-19 as a pretext, to close its land borders with those two African exclaves, both of which are EU territories and form part of its external border.

Almost one month since the cities’ land borders with Morocco reopened, thus enabling people to pass through, Morocco still has yet to authorise trade in goods via the Beni Enzar commercial customs office in Melilla, which closed on 1 August 2018 after more than six decades in operation.

In the light of the above:

• 1.What will the Commission do to ensure that goods can move from Spain to Morocco?
• 2.Does the Moroccan Government’s decision breach the EU-Morocco Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement, the cooperation programmes or the action plan drawn up within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy?