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ARCHIVED - Fears of a hard border on the horizon for Gibraltar
Negotiations are ongoing, but officials fear that a decision won’t be reached about Gibraltar before the end of the year
The threat of a hard border in Gibraltar is looming once again as talks between the UK and Brussels appear to be at yet another stalemate. Formal negotiations on the future status of the Rock began last week, and in theory, the resolution only requires the current agreement to be translated into an official treaty. However, sources have indicated that a potential solution could be jeopardised by London’s efforts to violate the agreements reached on Northern Ireland in 2019.
There are currently around 10,000 Spaniards working in the British territory of Gibraltar, and a temporary pact agreed upon right before the Brexit deadline has prevented a hard border. The overall aim is to ensure that the Rock continues to enjoy the advantages offered by the European Union without being officially part of the Schengen area, but the role of the customs officers of the European agency Frontex and of the Spanish police in the port and airport has remained a major bone of contention, with the UK repeatedly accusing the Spanish of threatening their sovereignty over Gibraltar.
While delegates have insisted that the situation with Northern Ireland shouldn’t impact the Gibraltar treaty, London has been pushing for a review of the measures while Brussels has so far refused to talk about anything other than reducing the bureaucracy to which goods travelling to Ulster must be subjected.
All of this means that time is running out for an agreement to be made about Gibraltar before the end of the year, with the possibility of a hard border, such as was in place when Spain originally joined the EU in 1986, looking all the more likely. Two more rounds of negotiations have been organised for November, and December 13 has been earmarked as the ideal date to close the deal.
The establishment of a hard border with Gibraltar will spell disaster for the thousands of Brits and Spaniards living there, and as of October 31, the contingency agreements that regulate health care for cross-border workers and the recognition of British driving licences will cease. The current situation cannot be prolonged indefinitely and the European Commission will soon be forced to demand the application of Schengen controls, including visa requirements and passport checks.
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