Representatives of the four interested parties reached an agreement on the long-awaited Gibraltar Treaty at a historic meeting in Brussels on the afternoon of June 11.
The Rock unlocked as terms of Gibraltar Treaty agreed
This means there will be a fluid border between Gibraltar and Spain, with no routine checks for those entering or exiting by foot or vehicle. However, checks will remain at the seaport and airport, affecting those who are neither EU/EAA nor Gibraltar passport holders. It is not yet clear whether UK passport holders will have their passports stamped since, under current EU rules, they can only enter the EU for 90 out of 180 days.
According to reports, joint checks will be carried out by Gibraltar and Spanish officials, prompting likely objections from many Gibraltarians who have always insisted: “No Spanish boots on the Rock.”
A photo accompanying this article shows José Manuel Albares (Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation), Maros Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President of the European Commission), David Lammy (British Foreign Secretary), and Fabian Picardo (Chief Minister of Gibraltar).
The Rock unlocked with all parties in agreement
In a brief joint statement, all parties confirmed that a deal had been reached following a short period of final negotiation. David Lammy emphasised that the agreement secures Gibraltar’s economy and way of life for the long term while safeguarding Gibraltar’s sovereignty as part of the UK family.
It’s now a matter of time before the full terms of the agreement—and its implementation timeline—are revealed.
