For 39 years, the Gibraltar border has faced the challenge of facilitating the daily passage of 27,000 people, including 15,500 cross-border workers, through a not particularly large or modern crossing, with the sole desire of avoiding long queues. The completion of a treaty between the UK, Spain, and the European Union is expected to improve cross-border facilities, benefiting the over 300,000 inhabitants of the Campo de Gibraltar. The treaty aims to address issues such as ending the fragile nature of border controls, allowing joint use of the Gibraltar airport, harmonising taxes, and standardising environmental regulations in the region.
Negotiations between the European Commission, the UK, and Spain have been ongoing for over three years, with the goal of abolishing the land border, implementing joint use of the Gibraltar airport, harmonizing taxes, and standardizing environmental rules. The successful signing of the treaty could lead to a new era of “shared prosperity” between Gibraltar and its surrounding Spanish region, which has not been seen before. One of the main expectations of the treaty is the practical dismantling of the current border control structure, where exterior checks would be moved to the Gibraltar airport and port, freeing the land crossing from current controls.
The treaty negotiations also encompass issues such as workers’ rights, taxation, security, and environmental concerns. The negotiation process includes equalizing pensions for Gibraltarians and cross-border workers, harmonizing tax laws that could affect products like tobacco, and ensuring compliance with European environmental standards. The treaty aims to improve access to the Gibraltar airport, potentially reinstating flights to major cities like Madrid or Barcelona, which was a possibility before the agreements of 2006.
The negotiations have navigated sensitive topics such as water disputes and the sovereignty of the Rock of Gibraltar. The parties have attempted to set aside contentious issues to make progress in the negotiations, which have progressed slowly through 18 rounds of talks since October 2021. The parties have managed to avoid addressing the thorny issue of waters around Gibraltar, focusing instead on areas where consensus can be reached. Despite the challenges, both Gibraltarians and inhabitants of the Campo de Gibraltar remain hopeful but cautious as negotiations continue, with the upcoming European Parliament elections adding pressure to the timeline.
Since the reopening of the Gibraltar border in 1985, after decades of closure due to Franco’s regime, political disagreements have occasionally led to disruptions at the border, causing lengthy queues and frustrations for travelers. In anticipation of potential setbacks in the treaty negotiations, Gibraltar has prepared a contingency plan to navigate the potential transition to a harder external EU border, minimizing the impact on the region. The residents of Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar closely follow the negotiations with a mix of hope and caution, aware of the potential impact on their daily lives and regional dynamics.
