UK Secures Post-Brexit Agreement on Gibraltar: What It Means for the Future

The UK has reached an agreement with the European Union regarding the status of Gibraltar following Brexit. Since Britain left the EU in 2020, discussions about how to manage the border between Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing.

This new deal is designed to ensure that there won’t be checks on people or goods crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border. When travelers arrive at Gibraltar airport, both Gibraltar and Spanish officials will check passports. It’s a similar setup to what travelers experience with Eurostar at London’s St Pancras station, where they go through both British and French passport control.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized that this deal protects British sovereignty and benefits Gibraltar’s economy. He called it a “breakthrough,” stating that the previous government had put Gibraltar’s economy at risk.

Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, expressed positivity about the agreement. He mentioned his close work with the UK government to ensure it met Gibraltar’s needs, emphasizing that it protects future generations while maintaining British sovereignty. Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares and EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic described the deal as “historic,” with Sefcovic noting that it marks a new chapter in UK-EU relations.

Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, is a small area just south of Spain. The UK has held sovereignty over it since 1713, although Spain disputes this claim. The ongoing status of Gibraltar and its border with Spain has been a significant point of contention since Brexit.

Approximately 15,000 individuals cross the border daily for work and leisure. Currently, residents of Gibraltar can use residence cards without getting their passports stamped, while Spanish citizens can cross with a government ID. However, there were worries that the upcoming EU Entry/Exit system could cause delays at the border.

The agreement includes a clause stating that it does not affect Gibraltar’s British sovereignty, and it ensures the operational autonomy of the UK’s military facilities, which includes an RAF base at the airport.

Public sentiment in Gibraltar strongly favors British sovereignty. A referendum in 2002 showed that nearly 99% of voters rejected a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain. This ongoing commitment to remain British reflects a deep-rooted sense of identity among the Gibraltarian people.



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