Bilateral Trade Shows Steady Growth
In recent years, economic interaction between Spain and Morocco has become increasingly close, with both countries establishing a highly collaborative framework. The latest data shows that in 2025, the total bilateral trade volume reached a high of €22.757 billion, demonstrating strong economic complementarity. In terms of specific import-export performance, Spanish exports to Morocco saw a 4.1% decrease in 2025 compared to the previous year, affected by a decline in fuel sales. However, imports from Morocco recorded a growth of approximately 6% during the same period.
Entering 2026, bilateral economic and trade relations have resumed a strong upward trajectory. In the first half of 2026, Spanish exports to Morocco increased to €6.4205 billion, a year-on-year growth of 3.5%, accounting for 3.2% of its total exports. During the same period, imports from Morocco amounted to €5.7955 billion, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%. Despite some differences in their trade structures, Spain consistently remains one of Morocco’s most crucial international trade partners.
Economic Cooperation Extends to High-Value-Added Sectors
According to statistical analysis from Spain’s Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), the European Union as a whole is Morocco’s largest trading partner and import-export market. Among the many EU member states, Spain holds an irreplaceable hub position in Morocco’s foreign trade landscape. As industrial structures upgrade, the boundaries of cooperation between the two countries are continuously expanding, moving from conventional commodity trading to high-value-added industries such as automotive manufacturing, parts supply, textiles, and advanced industrial materials.
Automotive Industry Chain: A Key Link in Bilateral Cooperation
The automotive manufacturing industry has now become the core engine driving economic synergy between Spain and Morocco. Morocco has developed into Africa’s leading automotive manufacturing hub, with 90% of its car production exported abroad. The EU is the primary destination, and Spain alone accounts for about 20% of Morocco’s automotive export share. Numerous multinational automakers have established a strong presence, such as Renault in Tangier and Casablanca, and Stellantis in Kenitra, which have set up large-scale production bases.
With the rapid rise of Morocco’s automotive industry, the Spanish Association of Automotive Equipment and Component Manufacturers (Sernauto) has designated it as a “strategic market” for future growth. Several Spanish companies, including Gestamp, Antolin, CIE Automotive, and Ficosa, have already established deep business layouts in the country. Furthermore, over 90 companies from Spain’s Basque Country alone are substantially integrated into Morocco’s automotive supply chain.
Industry analysts point out that compared to Chinese companies with their price advantages and German firms with their technological barriers, Spanish companies maintain a significant competitive edge in the local market. This is due to the logistical convenience and high degree of industrial synergy resulting from their geographical proximity. As the industrial systems of the two countries become more deeply integrated, Morocco is expected to continue serving as a crucial strategic foothold for Spanish companies to expand into the North African market and optimize their European supply chains.
