The European Union reached a political agreement with the UK on the post-Brexit border arrangements for Gibraltar following talks on Wednesday in Brussels.
The accord will eliminate all physical barriers, checks and controls on people and goods moving between Gibraltar and Spain, while establishing dual border controls at the port and airport of Gibraltar, according to a joint statement.
Britain and Spain have been struggling to put to rest one of the last hangovers of Brexit as they seek to establish customs and immigration procedures between the territory on the tip of the Spanish mainland and Spain.
Gibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory that is reliant on the free movement of people travelling to and from Spain, which Brexit was meant to limit. The status of its airport – which is also a Royal Air Force base – and who controls it, has proved particularly problematic, with the UK insisting it won’t agree to anything that compromises Gibraltar’s sovereignty, and Spain seeking a role in policing the border there.
The issue has been dragging since the UK left the EU more than five years ago. The Spanish crown ceded Gibraltar to the UK in 1713.
About 15,000 Spanish workers cross the border daily to work in the 34,000-inhabitant territory where both sides have been trying to avoid a hard border torpedoing the free flow of people and goods that would harm both sides.
The progress comes against the backdrop of the warmer ties between Brussels and the Labour government led by prime minister Keir Starmer. In May, both sides concluded a bilateral defence agreement and deals to ease the regulatory burden for UK firms exporting to the EU or EU fishermen access to the UK waters. – Bloomberg
