Two Spanish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the People's Party, Juan Ignacio Zoido, a former Minister of the Interior, and Borja Giménez, have raised concerns with the European Commission regarding the relocation of the Danish shipping giant Maersk from the port of Algeciras to Tangiers. In a formal written question, they urged Brussels to take action. «The decision by major shipping lines to redirect their operations to Morocco instead of Algeciras and Valencia serves as a warning of how companies will respond if the EU imposes taxes on their commercial activities. This is what we have cautioned the European Commission against», Juan Ignacio Zoido stated on X. The MEPs attribute Maersk's move to Morocco to the carbon tax enforced by the European Commission, which they argue undermines the competitiveness of Spanish ports. The European Union's new carbon trading scheme, set to be implemented in 2024, mandates that shipping companies report their emissions by March 31 each year. By 2025, ships will be required to pay for 40% of their 2024 emissions, increasing to 70% of their 2025 emissions in 2026, and reaching 100% of their 2026 emissions by 2027.
