Eduardo González
The negotiating teams of Spain and the United Kingdom met yesterday in Malaga to resume talks on the future relationship between Gibraltar and the European Union after Brexit, after several months of interruption because of the Spanish and Gibraltarian elections.
As reported by the Government of Gibraltar, the meeting was attended by the Chief Minister of the Rock, Fabian Picardo; the Deputy Chief Minister, Joseph Garcia, and the Attorney General, Michael Llamas. “The formation of governments of continuity of the same political colors in Gibraltar and Spain, following the general elections held in both places, has facilitated the continuation of the talks from where they left off,” the Gibraltarian Executive stressed in a press release. “This renewed contact is expected to continue between the different parties and at different levels in the coming days and weeks,” it added.
Negotiations have been at a standstill for several months due to the early general elections in Spain and the elections held on the Rock last October. Apart from that, the talks have made little progress because of London’s reservations on issues such as the presence of members of the Spanish security forces at passenger controls at the port and airport or its refusal to allow any Spanish control over the movements of personnel at the Royal Navy base on the Rock, which the Spanish authorities consider essential for exercising its powers as a Schengen area border. Furthermore, there are still no agreements on matters such as tax harmonization or the environment, among others.
Last November 28, the Foreign Ministers of Spain and the United Kingdom, José Manuel Albares and David Cameron, agreed to resume negotiations on the future relationship between Gibraltar and the European Union. Although it is the European Commission and the United Kingdom who are formally negotiating, Spain is following the contacts on the front line, and any agreement that Brussels and London may reach cannot be signed without the approval of the Spanish authorities.
According to Albares, during conversation were addressed, above all, “the only aspects that separate us from having a final agreement, for example, the formula for joint use of the airport, on which we have been exchanging views and opinions, and other aspects that remain to be delimited” and that “by diplomatic discretion we keep for negotiation”.
When asked if these pending issues include border control (Gibraltar is not part of the Schengen area, which would require border controls at both the airport and the port of the Rock by Spain or the European border agency, Frontex, for an initial period of four years), Albares simply replied: “when everything is agreed, I guarantee that I will be the first to come to see them to explain each point of the agreement, now let’s let the teams work”.
According to the Minister, “we are so close that what is left are specific, punctual aspects”. “Most of the agreement is already agreed, but, and I know it seems like a mantra, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” he continued. He also recalled that Spain “has put on the table” a global agreement “balanced and generous” covering “all aspects governing the daily life of Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar and to consolidate this area of shared prosperity.” “What it is about right now is to find formulas that are effective to achieve that goal that we all want,” he added.
As to whether possible dates for the signing of the agreement have been considered, Albares specified: “I am not able to give a time horizon at the moment”. Furthermore, although Spain has the last word, he recalled that the agreement has to be closed between the United Kingdom and the European Commission “and we are going to have -he recalled- elections for a new Commission in June” and, therefore, it will be necessary to take into account “the start of the campaign for the European elections”.
