UK secures Gibraltar’s economic future, but concerns raised over application of EU’s EES

In a landmark agreement on Tuesday, 14 July, the UK signed a Treaty with the EU to safeguard British sovereignty and protect UK military operations on the British territory of Gibraltar, while supporting economic growth and jobs in the region.

Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, said the historic agreement “delivers certainty for the people and businesses of Gibraltar, protects British sovereignty and military facilities.” The Treaty, which was signed in Brussels, Belgium, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and the Foreign Minister of Spain, has the full backing of the Government and Parliament of Gibraltar.

Spanish-Gibraltar border comes down

Strategically perched at the southern tip of Spain, just 8 nautical miles from Morocco, Gibraltar was secured by Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.

The contested British overseas territory of 38,000 people was omitted from the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement following Brexit. That move created the prospect of a ‘hard border’ with full passport checks for the 15,000 people (over half of Gibraltar’s workforce) crossing the land border between Spain and Gibraltar.

The new Treaty, which has taken effect immediately, delivers practical solutions to avoid the need for onerous checks and long delays at the border. It also opens up new opportunities for flights and economic growth.  

Stating that the agreement opens a new chapter with the EU and Spain, supporting jobs, growth and prosperity, Doughty stated: “Our support for Gibraltar remains as solid as the Rock itself.”

Gibraltar is now a de facto part of the EU’s Schengen area

While the signing of the Treaty has, in large part, been welcomed, it also means British travellers flying to and from Gibraltar from the UK will now have to abide by the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES), which came fully into force in April this year.

The new electronic border system will now be applied to inbound and outbound travel from Gibraltar, which has become a de facto part of the EU’s Schengen free-movement area following the new Treaty’s entry into force.

Gibraltar’s airport handles around 300,000 passengers a year, with all scheduled commercial flights originating in the UK. British Airways operates flights from London Heathrow, while easyJet operates flights from London Gatwick, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.