DR ‹ › Ceuta has imported a total of 4,122 tons of sand and gravel from Morocco since the reopening of the borders and the establishment of commercial customs, with 130 trucks transporting these materials to the city. According to central government sources cited by El Faro de Ceuta, the imported volume amounts to 4,122,800 kilograms of aggregate materials. This trade flow is currently the most consistent, while other products in demand, most notably fish, have yet to cross the border. Import operations are limited to weekdays, from Monday to Friday, and to a restricted list of goods, effectively confining commercial customs activity to construction materials in response to sector demand. The central government views these figures as proof that commercial customs are operational. However, the Ceuta Employers' Association argues that the activity remains limited and lacks clear conditions and sufficient legal guarantees. Its president has stated that businesses will not rely on these customs under the current framework. Exports, for their part, remain minimal and largely symbolic, limited to hygiene products and items from the automotive sector, while sand imports dominate cross-border trade. Ceuta and Melilla are not following the same trajectory. In 2026, Melilla recorded 42 import operations from Morocco compared to just four exports. The latter mainly involved household appliances, while imports consisted largely of furniture and various goods, particularly sweets. In Melilla, business organizations say commercial customs activity remains highly restricted, noting that the «traveler system» still operates in one direction, allowing goods to enter from Morocco into the two enclaves, without enabling residents or tourists to carry products in the opposite direction.
