The Diplomat
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, held a meeting yesterday in London with the British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, in which they discussed the possibility of London and Brussels failing to reach an agreement on the future of the Rock’s relationship with the EU after Brexit.
In a note released by the Gibraltar Government, it is indicated that Picardo, who was in London to support the Royal Gibraltar Regiment on the occasion of its royal public functions, was received at the Foreign Office by Truss, to discuss the pending issues regarding the negotiation between the United Kingdom and the European Union for a Treaty on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU.
The note indicates that the meeting was important, given that a new round of talks will soon be held between Brussels and London, and that efforts are still being made to conclude the agreement, “if possible, before Easter holidays”.
Picardo says he is “very optimistic” about achieving the Treaty, but does not hide his concern that, after the COVID-19 pandemic, negotiations are now taking place “against the backdrop of a bloody and atrocious war being waged by Russia in Europe”.
“The ministerial ‘bandwidth’ is therefore obviously affected, and the fact that I have been able to meet with Liz Truss is a demonstration of the commitment to Gibraltar that she and the UK Government have continually shown in the course of this negotiation in which we are working very closely together as one British team.
The Gibraltar Chief Minister considers it an “unlikely eventuality” that a Treaty cannot be agreed between the UK and the EU, but points out that “as an act of prudence” he discussed with Liz Truss “the options in the event of a non-negotiated outcome”. In any case, he reiterates his optimism about a positive outcome of the negotiations to achieve “a Treaty that is secure for Gibraltar in terms of our inviolable British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control”.
Since 11 October 2021, London and Brussels have held five rounds of negotiations on the future of the Rock, based on the framework agreement reached between Spain and the UK on 31 December 2020, but to date there has been no clear prospect of an agreement.
For this reason, for months now, the Gibraltar government has been preparing its population for the possibility that an understanding will not be reached. At the beginning of February it published a guide in which it reminds them that if an agreement is not reached, passports will be required to cross the border and there will be “long delays” and exhaustive controls.
