Spanish Trade Office in Algeria highlights investment opportunities in full commercial blockade

This and similar messages deleted after search asking for information from this newspaper. These are occurring amid the commercial and diplomatic crisis brought about by Algeria’s decision to freeze imports from Spain after a change of position in Western Sahara. And in the context of the official news cut from Algeria on the impact of reprisals against Spain. Neither the European Commission, nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Minister of Trade did not want to inform this newspaper about the current situation. At the end of this issue, an information request is pending through the Transparency portal, which has not yet been answered. The Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade refused a request to meet with business consultant Rafael Linde in Algeria.

It is known to be from Spain. in daily contact with Brussels, according to Xiana Méndez, Minister of State for Trade. “We saw that foreign trade operations with Algeria were almost completely paralyzed,” he said at the Congress.

Probably, Madrid sends each of the business events to the persons in charge of Trade Whether the European Union is the problem to send or receive goods to the country or to pay. There is no information on the number of incidents.

Shortly after the outbreak of the crisis, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares met with Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and Responsible for EU trade agreements with other countries. Brussels backed Spain and sent a warning to Algeria: A European partner cannot be discriminated against. Spain exported about 2,000m euros in goods to Algeria last year.

The general account of the Office of Commerce in Algeria lacks practical information on the confusing situation experienced by Spanish businessmen who have commercial relations with the Maghreb country. There are some exceptions. This Thursday, for example, Restrictions warned by Argelia Ferries shipping company: As of the 31st of this month, passengers going to Oran from Alicante Port are “obliged to declare and deliver their baggage before departure with documents proving the goods they are transporting”.

They also refer to the news made in Spain by this newspaper about their complaints to their own Governments due to the Algerian customs’ lack of clarity as to what rules would apply to Spanish goods. Algerian authorities Not knowing the criteria for what to skip and what not, after the June 8 decision of the Association of Banks and Financial Institutions of Algeria ordering country entities to freeze direct debt for foreign trade operations of products and services originating and destination Spain.

The situation “puts Algerian companies with economic ties to Spain in a stalemate,” according to a note from the Algeria-based French TSA titled “Spain-Algeria trade: confusion continues”.

Diplomatic and political tension

Spain has handed over the management of its trade dispute with Algeria to the EU, as it has the power to enforce the provisions and penalties of the bilateral agreement between 27 countries and the Maghreb countries. In diplomatic matters, High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell Albares supported Albares in a joint statement with Dombrovskis, although he urged Algeria to resolve the diplomatic quarrel started by dialogue.

The situation had political repercussions in Spain. The government accuses the PP of not only meddling in state policy, but also of using the Algerian question to raise opposition. The leader of the popular group, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, assured that “what is being done to Algeria is nonsense”. “Italy has secured Algeria’s supply and we are increasing purchases of Russian gas,” he said. “This kind of energy policy mixed with foreign policy creates tremendous discomfort.”