The United Kingdom and Spain have reached a deal with the UK to maintain free movement to and from Gibraltar once the nation formally leaves the EU on Friday.
To avoid any form of a hard border for the 15,000 Spanish workers that go to the Rock each day, Gibraltar will join the EU’s Schengen zone and follow other EU rules, while remaining a British Overseas Territory.
“With this [agreement], the fence is removed, Schengen is applied to Gibraltar… it allows for the lifting of controls between Gibraltar and Spain,” said Ms González Laya.
The deal was announced by Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya, just hours before the UK exits the EU.
The Gibraltar deal will mean the EU sending Frontex border guards to facilitate free movement to and from Gibraltar. Their role is planned to last four years.
The residents of Gibraltar are British citizens who elect their own representatives to the territory’s House of Assembly, while the British monarch appoints a governor.
The UK overseas territory home to a British military garrison and naval base is self-governing in all areas except defence and foreign policy.
Once Gibraltar joins the Schengen zone, EU citizens arriving from Spain or another Schengen country will avoid passport checks, while arrivals from the UK will have to go through passport control, as is already the case.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called Thursday’s deal a “political framework” to form the basis of a separate treaty with the EU regarding Gibraltar.
Dominic Raab said “all sides are committed to mitigating the effects of the end of the [Brexit] Transition Period on Gibraltar, and in particular ensure border fluidity, which is clearly in the best interests of the people living on both sides.
“We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, and its sovereignty is safeguarded.”
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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