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Light at the end of the tunnel for Gibraltar border deal as April target set
Brussels moves to fast-track provisional application of EU-UK treaty that would remove the Fence
After years of wrangling and months of waiting, the long-running Gibraltar agreement may finally be edging towards real movement.The European Commission said on Tuesday February 17 that it expects the new EU-UK agreement on Gibraltar to be provisionally applied from Thursday April 10, clearing the way for the removal of the Fence between Spain and the Rock. To make that happen, Brussels has formally asked the Council of the European Union to approve the signing of the Treaty while the full ratification process continues.
The Commission has now adopted and transmitted two proposals to the European co-legislators, one for the signing and provisional application of the agreement, and another for its final conclusion between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
The move builds on months of political groundwork. Last September, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signalled that a breakthrough on Gibraltar was within reach following high-level talks.
If the Council gives the green light, the deal could start operating on a provisional basis while the European Parliament decides whether to give its consent and the United Kingdom completes its own ratification process.
A Commission spokesperson said the aim is to secure “rapid approval by the Council”, so the agreement can be signed and provisionally applied on that date, even though the full procedures involving the 27 member states and the European Parliament may take longer.
The treaty is designed to complete the post-Brexit legal framework, as Gibraltar was left outside the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement that came into force in 2021. European Commissioner Maroš ŠefÄoviÄ said the goal is to “guarantee the long-term prosperity of the region” without undermining Schengen, the Single Market or the Customs Union. He also stressed that the agreement would bring “legal certainty and confidence” to an area where some 15,000 people cross the border every day.
For residents on the Rock, border arrangements have been a particular concern. At the end of January, Gibraltar’s government sought to reassure residents and workers that they would not face new EU-style border checks once the agreement is in place.
Crucially, April 10 ties in with the launch of the new European Entry/Exit System, which will change the way external EU borders are managed. Brussels wants the Gibraltar arrangements in place before that system is fully operational.
The Fence itself has become a symbol of the delays. Last month, it was still standing as negotiations continued and hopes of swift change were tempered by the reality of ongoing talks. Now, with Brussels formally pushing the process forward and a clear date on the table, the prospect of removing the Fence no longer feels quite so distant.
Image: wikicommons
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