A Spanish government official announced on Friday that Spain is looking into ending a deal that allows visa-free crossing from Moroccan towns into Spain’s North African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta.
This comes amid a row between the 2 countries over issues related to Western Sahara, a region Morocco claims sovereignty over.
Juan Gonzalez Barba, junior minister for relations with the European Union, said on Thursday during a visit to Ceuta, that “the government is considering…scrapping the special regime.”
Barba added that “the border controls would then move to the border with Morocco.”
For years, Moroccan nationals from the towns surrounding the enclaves could enter without a visa, but required one to travel to continental Spain or the rest of Europe’s border-free Schengen Area by sea or air.