BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and the U.K. have reached an agreement to ease cross-border trade and travel in Gibraltar after years of post-Brexit wrangling over the contested territory, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said Wednesday.
In a post on social media, Šefčovič praised the deal as “a truly historic milestone: an EU-UK political agreement on the future relationship concerning Gibraltar. This benefits everyone and reinforces a new chapter in the relationship.”
Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. Talks on a deal to ensure people and goods can keep flowing over the Gibraltar-Spain border previously had made only halting progress.
In Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, 96% of voters in Gibraltar supported remaining in the EU. The tiny territory on Spain’s southern tip depends greatly on access to the EU market for its 34,000 inhabitants.
The British government said the agreement “resolves the last major unresolved issue from Brexit,” while Spanish Foreign Minister José Albares said that “a deal regarding Gibraltar is now a reality,” calling it historic.
The deal would involve removing all physical barriers, checks and controls on people and goods circulating between Spain and Gibraltar, the EU said in a statement. At the same time, it would respect Europe’s free travel zone rules and the EU single market.
The statement said the pact “will bring confidence and legal certainty to the lives and well-being of the people of the whole region by promoting shared prosperity and close and constructive relations between the Gibraltar and Spanish authorities.”
The U.K. said that half Gibraltar’s population crosses the border each day and that without an agreement, new EU entry-exit rules mean every one would have to have their passports checked.
“This government inherited a situation from the last government which put Gibraltar’s economy and way of life under threat,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. “Today’s breakthrough delivers a practical solution after years of uncertainty.
“Alongside the government of Gibraltar, we have a reached an agreement which protects British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar’s economy and allows businesses to plan for the long-term once again,” Lammy said.
Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said the agreement “will bring legal certainty to the people of Gibraltar, its businesses and to those across the region who rely on stability at the frontier.”
