Morocco joins the list of countries whose lorry drivers will be able to work without a Spanish licence
The latest visit of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to Morocco has further reinforced the good relations between the two countries. And it has served, among other things, to seal an agreement regarding a Moroccan request dating back to 2019. From now on, Moroccan lorry drivers will be able to drive between Spain and Morocco without the need to validate their licences, as was the case until now.
- Truck drivers no longer have to validate their licence
- Morocco joins a list that already included the EU and other European countries
- A relief for Spanish transport companies
Truck drivers no longer have to validate their licence
Five years later, Morocco has approved an application that will allow all Moroccan lorry drivers to work in Spain without the need to validate their licences. This is a great move for both sides, as Spain has long been experiencing a major shortage of truck drivers, which also prompted the arrival of some from countries such as Monaco, Switzerland and Andorra.
The measure will have a reciprocal effect, allowing Spanish truck drivers to work in Morocco as well. The new measure is an extension of a permit swap that already existed with type B car permits. Since the Council of Ministers made the agreement official on 6 February, C and C+E licences will also be recognised.
The Spanish government stated at that time that "the proposal seeks to eliminate the existing challenges in terms of filling vacancies for qualified drivers to work in the sector, as requested by representatives of Spanish road transport companies, both for passengers and goods". In fact, it is precisely the transport companies that are the first to applaud this initiative.
Morocco joins a list that already included the EU and other European countries
The countries of the European Union already have this advantage, although they are not the only ones. The advantages offered by the agreement now sealed between Spain and Morocco are also being maintained by the Spanish administration with several other countries:
- Andorra
- South Korea
- Northern Ireland
- Japan
- Morocco
- Monaco
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland
All of them have some advantages over others, despite having bilateral mutual recognition agreements, but require a series of tests for validation. Normally, practical and theoretical tests are required, focusing especially on the differences in terms of safety and completeness of driving.
A relief for Spanish transport companies
Freight transport companies have welcomed the agreement with the Alawi kingdom, due to the high demand for truck drivers throughout the country. Antonio Pereda, head of operations at Tafatransm, described the situation as "desperate" a few months ago in a statement to El Español.
Not even the price of the certificates is an excuse, as companies such as the one mentioned above are even offering to pay for them. The C1 driving licence costs 3,000 euros, to which should be added the 1,200 euros Certificate of Professional Aptitude (CAP). The situation has reached a point where companies are willing to bear this cost in order to add new drivers to their ranks.
And they are even willing to pay for the training of candidates for lorry driver positions: "we are happy to hire people with little or no experience and train them here from scratch". Above all, in view of the fact that the generational changeover in this job seems complicated. The average age in the sector is 47 years old, showing a significant lack of young professionals in this profession.
It is hoped that this new agreement with Morocco will help to reverse a situation that has been stifling transport companies in Spain for some time. It will also allow those who are already truck drivers to expand their area of action in Morocco without the need to waste time on bureaucratic procedures.