According to the agreement between the British and Spanish authorities, Gibraltar will become part of the Schengen area. This means that crossing the border between Spain and British-owned lands at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula will remain free.
With the final withdrawal (that is, after the end of the transition period) of Great Britain from the European Union, which took place at the beginning of 2021, theoretically there should be a “solid” border between Spain and Gibraltar. The French and British sides could not agree for a long time on the principles of border control and the movement of people and goods over them.
The only thing that was known before is that workers crossing the Gibraltar border with Spain will be exempt from border control even if no agreement is reached. And she, according to various sources, is about 8.5-15 thousand. People a day. The question, however, remained, tourism traffic. Tourism is responsible for about 25 percent. Gibraltar’s economy, there are about 10 million tourists every year.
There is an agreement on Gibraltar
However, on Thursday, December 31st, the Gibraltar Agreement between Great Britain and Gibraltar was finally concluded. They reported on her, among other things, the heads of the two countries’ foreign ministries and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Fabian Picardo, Prime Minister of Gibraltar, thanked him for the agreement.
Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laia explains – citing “Watchman”Under the agreement, Gibraltar would belong to EU programs such as the Schengen area, and Spain would be the “guarantor”. This means that it, as a member state, will assume responsibility for the border with Gibraltar. This will allow the controls at these borders to be lifted. Gonzales Laia did not clarify whether Spain’s responsibility abroad meant the presence of local security forces in Gibraltar.
Thus, the external borders of the European Union will not be the one between Spain and Gibraltar, but the airport and port in Gibraltar. The EU Frontex Agency will be responsible for the controls.
The agreement has been concluded so far for a period of four years. Now the European Commission has to convert it into a treaty as part of negotiations with London. It should take about half a year. The Spanish Foreign Minister affirmed that her country will work during this time to facilitate traffic movement on the borders with Gibraltar.
