Spain & Gibraltar Inch Closer To Deal
The illusive deal allowing for the free movement of people and goods between Gibraltar and Spain that has been on the agendas of diplomats in Madrid, London, Gibraltar and Brussels following Britain’s referendum to leave the European Union is ‘very close’, according to Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo.
Although some 96% of Gibraltar voted to stay within the EU, when the UK left the bloc in 2020, the British overseas territory left with it -and with it the free movement between the Rock and Spain.
Negotiations between the four parties have been on-going ever since, aiming to maintain seamless border movement. Although at times it seemed as if a breakthrough was on the cards – indeed Picardo said in 2024 that they were within “kissing distance” of a deal, progress has been slow with numerous through seemingly intractable issues of how to manage the frontier between Spain and Gibraltar on one hand and the frontier between the European Union and Gibraltar on the other.
However it does appear that the talks are indeed close to ‘We are very close. I believe that we are about to reach the point of no return,’ Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said during a press briefing in Madrid.
#LaNoche24h | Fabian Picardo, Ministro principal de Gibraltar (@FabianPicardo), aborda la seguridad del espacio Schengen:
“Hemos buscando una manera de que no haya un problema, pero podamos seguir teniendo fluidez”#Canal24Horas
▶️https://t.co/2TW2mBj6fk pic.twitter.com/8QdW4pr1wT— La noche en 24 horas (@Lanoche_24h) February 20, 2025
‘My feeling is that we are almost there, that we are arriving. That we have found imaginative solutions to all the issues that we had left. And it’s a question of tying that up, and then being able to say, here we go.’
Speaking during an interview with Spanish national broadcaster RTVE, Picardo also said, ‘We have always been looking for a way to ensure that there is no problem, and that we can still have fluidity with the Schengen zone.’
The sentiments were echoed by Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, stating that negotiations were now focused on final operational details.
‘We are now simply dealing with very operational aspects that we need to align on, and I am sure we will reach an agreement, which is something Spain certainly wants,’ he said.
Control over Gibraltar has been a long-standing point of contention between Britain and Spain since it was ceded to Britain under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
With London and Brussels finalising the Northern Ireland protocol in 2023, Gibraltar remains the last British territory without a formal agreement defining its post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
