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The United Kingdom, European Union and Spain have all worked together to reach a long-awaited agreement over the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar, resolving years of uncertainty about how the British Overseas Territory’s border with Spain would operate.

 

The deal, described by all parties as “historic”, establishes a framework that removes checks for people and goods crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border while preserving British sovereignty, a core issue for Gibraltarians and the UK government alike.

 

 

At the heart of the agreement is a novel arrangement that mirrors the system currently in place at London’s St Pancras station for Eurostar passengers. Instead of carrying out passport checks at the land border between Gibraltar and the Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción, controls will now take place at Gibraltar’s sea port and airport.

 

Spanish National Police will conduct full Schengen checks on passengers arriving by air or sea, while Gibraltar authorities will continue their own checks independently. This dual control system will allow individuals to enter the Schengen area directly from Gibraltar without undergoing further checks once inside Spain, effectively removing the land border as a point of restriction.

 

The agreement also includes cooperation on visa and permit arrangements, as well as police and judicial collaboration, aimed at ensuring security and smooth movement while respecting each side’s legal frameworks.

 

The UK government confirmed that the agreement would eliminate the need for routine border checks at the land frontier, which is currently crossed by around 15,000 people each day for work and leisure. This was a major concern for both locals and commuters, particularly with the upcoming implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System, which threatened to cause significant delays.

 

 

 

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised the agreement, saying it delivered a “practical solution after years of uncertainty” and confirmed that the UK’s “commitment to Gibraltar remains as solid as the Rock itself”.

 

He also emphasised that the agreement upholds full British sovereignty and operational autonomy for UK military facilities, including the airport which also serves as an RAF base.

 

Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo hailed the agreement as a success, stating that it “protects future generations of British Gibraltarians” and ensures that the territory’s constitutional status remains unchanged.

 

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares described the deal as “a new beginning”, stating at a press conference that it removes “the last wall” on the European continent. He confirmed that Spain would oversee Schengen border checks at Gibraltar’s air and sea ports, replacing the initial idea of deploying EU border agency Frontex officers during a transitional period.

 

Albares said the deal would allow the airport to handle more international commercial flights, benefiting both Gibraltar and the surrounding Campo de Gibraltar region of southwest Spain.

 

President of the Spanish government Pedro Sánchez echoed these sentiments, saying the agreement represents the most significant progress in over 300 years of unresolved status, and that it was achieved “without renouncing Spain’s claims over the isthmus and the retrocession of Gibraltar”.

 

The agreement follows extensive negotiations, culminating in a high-level meeting in Brussels between Lammy, Picardo, Albares, EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič and other officials. The parties have now committed to finalising a legally binding treaty text “as quickly as possible”.

 

 

Gibraltar, a 2.6-square-mile territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, has been under British sovereignty since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.

 

Spain continues to claim the territory, but public opinion in Gibraltar is overwhelmingly in favour of remaining British. In a 2002 referendum, nearly 99% of voters rejected the idea of shared sovereignty with Spain.

 

The question of how to manage Gibraltar’s border with Spain after Brexit has remained unresolved since the UK formally left the EU in 2020. Gibraltar was not included in the main Brexit withdrawal agreement, leaving it subject to separate negotiations.

 

With this new political framework, many hope that years of uncertainty are now over, providing stability for residents, tourists, cross-border workers and businesses on both sides of the border.

 

 

Image 1: Ayuntamiento de La Línea de la Concepción

Image 2: HM Government of Gibraltar