UK agrees post-Brexit deal over Gibraltar
Baku, June 11, AZERTAC
The UK has agreed a deal with the European Union over Gibraltar's status after Brexit, according to BBC News.
Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the EU in 2020.
The UK said the agreement would avoid the need for checks on people and goods crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border.
For travellers arriving at Gibraltar airport, passport checks will be carried out by Gibraltar and Spanish officials.
This is similar to the system in place for Eurostar passengers at London's St Pancras station, where travellers pass through both British and French passport control before boarding international trains.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the deal protected British sovereignty and supported Gibraltar's economy.
He said the "breakthrough" delivered a practical solution, adding: "This government inherited a situation from the last government which put Gibraltar's economy and way of life under threat."
Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo also welcomed the agreement, saying: "I have worked hand in glove with the UK government throughout this negotiation to deliver the deal Gibraltar wants and needs – one that will protect future generations of British Gibraltarians and does not in any way affect our British sovereignty."
Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares and EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic both hailed the deal as "historic", with Sefcovic saying it "reinforces a new chapter" in the EU-UK relationship.
All parties have committed to finalising a UK-EU treaty text on Gibraltar as quickly as possible, the UK government said.
Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory, is a 2.6 square mile headland to the south of Spain.
The UK has had sovereignty over Gibraltar since 1713, although this is disputed by Spain, who claim the territory as their own.
The territory's status and that of its border with Spain has been a key sticking point and has remained unresolved since Brexit.
An estimated 15,000 people cross the Gibraltar-Spain border every day for work and leisure.
Currently, Gibraltar residents can cross using residence cards without needing to have their passports stamped. Spanish citizens can cross using a government ID card.
But there were concerns this would end with the introduction of the EU's Entry/Exit system later this year, causing huge delays at the border.
The UK said all sides had agreed a clause making clear the final treaty does not impact the territory's British sovereignty.
It said there would also be full operational autonomy of the UK's military's facilities in Gibraltar, where the airport is run by the Ministry of Defence and hosts an RAF base.
Public opinion in Gibraltar, which has a population of 32,000 according to its government, is in favour of keeping British sovereignty. The most recent referendum, held in 2002, saw almost 99% of voters reject a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain.
The breakthrough came after Lammy met Picardo and his cabinet in Gibraltar earlier, before the pair headed to Brussels for discussions with EU and Spanish ministers.
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