The Gibraltar government has announced a deal struck in Brussels between the UK, EU and itself following latest discussions on the future Agreement in respect of Gibraltar.
According to the statement issued (here: https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases/joint-statement-on-the-negotiations-for-an-eu-uk-agreement-in-respect-of-gibraltar-4332025-10960) the meeting involving European Commissioner Maroš Šefcovič, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, together with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, the parties reached “a conclusive political agreement on the core aspects of the future Agreement between the EU and the UK in respect of Gibraltar. The future Agreement is without prejudice to the respective legal positions of Spain and the United Kingdom with regard to sovereignty and jurisdiction.”
The deal struck covers the issue of people travelling between the jurisdictions.
“The Parties agreed to establish dual Gibraltar and Schengen border checks at Gibraltar port and airport – to be carried out in full cooperation between the EU and UK/Gibraltar authorities, removing all checks at the crossing point between Gibraltar and La Linea for the many thousands of people who travel across daily in both directions. For the EU, full Schengen checks will be carried out by Spain. For the UK, full Gibraltar checks will continue to be carried out as they are today. They also agreed arrangements for visas and permits and close cooperation between the police and law enforcement authorities.”
The future Agreement in full is intended to remove “all physical barriers, checks and controls on persons and goods circulating between Spain and Gibraltar, while preserving the Schengen area, the EU Single Market and Customs Union.”
Regarding the movement of goods, the latest negotiations saw agreement on ‘principles’, such as boosting cooperation between customs authorities to remove checks, an in respect of indirect taxation, for example to avoid distortions between the jurisdictions.
There were also commitments on ‘level playing field’ objectives around “state aid, taxation, labour, environment, trade and sustainable development, anti-money laundering, and transport – including the airport; the rights of frontier workers and social security coordination.”
“Specific cooperation will also be included in environmental matters. The creation of an appropriate financial mechanism to promote cohesion and support training and employment in the region has also been agreed.”
The parties say that they have now cleared the way for their negotiating teams to finalise the final legal text, and proceed on to signature and ratification of the future Agreement.
