The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juan Manuel Moreno, has expressed the desire for the interests of Campo de Gibraltar and Andalucía to be reflected in the upcoming agreement between the European Commission and the UK regarding the relationship between Gibraltar and the EU post-Brexit. This agreement has been in the works for almost eight years and goes beyond the scope of the regional government. The municipalities in Campo de Gibraltar, with a population of 300,000, including 27,000 daily cross-border workers to Gibraltar, are directly affected by the agreement. The main demand from the mayors is the removal of the current border with Gibraltar, as well as seeking job security and legal certainty for their residents.
The issues of worker rights, taxation, security, and the environment are all included in the agreement that is being finalized between the EU and the UK. The mayors of the Campo de Gibraltar region, including those from Algeciras, Tarifa, La Línea, Los Barrios, San Roque, and Castellar de la Frontera, are emphasizing the need for legal, labor, and fiscal security. They will bring up concerns about fiscal disparities, workforce mobility, and possible disruptions in daily life if the border is dismantled. The President of the Junta de Andalucía expressed the need to address these challenges to ensure the prosperity and well-being of the region.
The potential impact of the agreement on the Campo de Gibraltar region is significant, as it could either boost or destabilize the local economy which already faces high unemployment rates and security issues. The disparities in wealth and prosperity between Gibraltar and the surrounding municipalities should be a key factor in the negotiations to bridge the gap. The President highlighted the economic, social, and fiscal distortions caused by having a territory like Gibraltar nearby, and stressed the importance of addressing these disparities in the negotiations.
The President called for a meeting with the mayors of Campo de Gibraltar following an announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding a meeting in Madrid to discuss the upcoming agreement. While the autonomous government welcomed the meeting, they raised concerns about the lack of coordination and communication over the years to establish a common position among all parties involved. The meeting aimed to establish a common position among the mayors, even though the exact details of the agreement were not yet known. The Minister assured the President that there had been “points of understanding” regarding the use of the airport, goods traffic, and mobility.
Some of the mayors also criticized the lack of fulfillment of a comprehensive plan of 112 measures announced by the government in 2019 to mitigate the Brexit’s impact. The plan included funds for municipalities, training and employment programs, incentives for hiring the unemployed, and infrastructure projects. The mayors highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the implementation of these measures, which they felt had not been adequately addressed. The President acknowledged the government’s responsibility for investing in infrastructure in the region, and committed to raising these issues during the meeting with the Minister.
