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After nearly three years of protracted negotiations, Spain and Morocco stand on the cusp of a historic moment: the opening of customs posts in Ceuta and Melilla, the Spain-controlled enclaves perched on Morocco's northern coast. Ìý

However, within the enclaves, officials and merchants fear Madrid has given Rabat a foothold in the autonomous territories— at least trade wise.

For the first time, Ceuta will have an official customs facility, while Melilla's post—abruptly shuttered by Morocco in 2018—will reopen. Ìý

The roots of this agreement date back to 2022, when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez struck a deal with Moroccan officials to regulate trade, and curb smuggling practices that had long defined commerce between the enclaves and Morocco. Ìý

However, officials in Melilla accuse Sanchez's government of surrendering control to Rabat.

"Melilla will be treated like just another Moroccan city", said Juan José Imbroda, the enclave's president.

"While Morocco sends its goods into Melilla, we can only sell what is manufactured here—which is to say, nothing." Ìý

Trade agreement between Moroccan-Spanish enclaves

Details of the deal have yet to be officially revealed, but leaked reports from Spanish media suggest the customs rollout will be modest.

According to El País, each border will initially allow one truck per day in each direction, limited to non-articulated vehicles. Ìý

Moroccan goods such as fresh produce and fish will flow into Spain, while Spanish exports will focus on hygiene products and electronics.

However, strict rules dictate that trucks can only carry pre-approved, pre-packaged goods from authorised establishments, with customs operations restricted to six hours daily. Ìý

"This one-sided arrangement isn't sustainable," said Enrique Alcoba, president of the Confederation of Employers of Melilla (CEME).

"If Morocco brings its products while we're left with nothing, it's better to keep the border closed entirely." Ìý

Melilla's President Imbroda has vowed to pursue parliamentary and judicial measures to safeguard the enclave's economic interests.

Opposition parties like the far-right Vox suspectÌýthat Morocco's intentions could be "to wear out the patience of Melilla entrepreneurs and suffocate local commerce."

In Ceuta, where there was no prior customs post, the government's delegate, Cristina Pérez, urged patience, stressing the "excellent working relationship."

A planned launch date on 2 January came and went, derailed by "incomplete paperwork."

Morocco's customs director had previously dismissed Spain's proposed timeline as "premature," citing unresolved technical issues. Ìý

Deal's significance for Moroccan-Spanish diplomacy

For both states, the deal represents more than a trade arrangement—it's the latest chapter in a fraught effort to stabilise relations.

In 2022, PM Sanchez overturned decades of Spanish policy by endorsing Rabat's claim over Western Sahara, enraging Algeria and sparking domestic controversy. Ìý

In exchange, Morocco pledged to reopen Melilla's customs post and establish one in Ceuta, which Rabat views as colonial relics.

Officially, Morocco claims sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla—the only euro-African land borders—as well as several smaller Mediterranean territories. In Moroccan schools, they are called "occupied Sebta and Melilia." Ìý

Yet, unlike its ambitious campaign to claim Western Sahara following Spain's 1975 withdrawal, Morocco's pursuit of Ceuta and Melilla has been comparatively lukewarm.

Moroccan officials rarely refer to the enclaves as "colonised," particularly since bilateral relations improved in 2022. Ìý

For decades, Moroccans from neighbouring cities like Tetouan and Nador could visit Ceuta and Melilla freely using only ID cards. However, since the borders reopened in 2022, visa requirements have tightened, leaving many unable to see family members in the enclaves. Ìý

"[The agreement between Spain and Morocco] devalues Moroccan citizens compared to Europeans," said Said Chermati, a member of the Rif Human Rights NGO.

"Europeans in Melilla can enter our cities, but we now need visas to visit what are essentially our occupied territories." Ìý

It's also unclear whether the trade deal will reinstate allowances for pedestrians to carry tax-free goods, a common practice in the past. Previously, so-called "mule women" transported heavy loads of merchandise tax-free, a gruelling and often deadly trade tolerated at the borders. Ìý

These women, already underpaid and marginalised, faced economic devastation when trade halted during the pandemic and borders closed.

"Since COVID-19, most former smuggling workers have been left without viable alternatives", said Said Haddad, head of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights in Nador. "We call for real solutions to end their suffering."Ìý