End of Gibraltar-Spain land border 'as soon as 10 April'

Zoom

The draft of the full treaty agreement that will see Spanish police checking passports at the Rock's airport has been published this week

SUR

MALAGA.

Friday, 27 February 2026, 10:45

The full, legal text of the draft treaty between Britain and the EU that will remove Gibraltar's land border controls was published on Thursday this week. With it came further details of the timetable for rolling out the historic agreement announced last year. However, the precise practical arrangements for how Spain and Gibraltar will share passport control at the Rock's airport, among other new measures, have yet to be fully set out.

The treaty document must be approved by Euro MPs and by the Spanish cabinet, as well as passing a vote by British MPs. The latter vote is expected to be controversial, amid accusations from right-wing MPs in the UK of a sellout on Gibraltar's sovereignty.

Starting provisionally

Spain's foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, said he is confident that the agreement on Gibraltar can be ratified by the EU and the UK before the summer. However, this will not prevent the agreement from starting provisionally from 10 April, as the EU indicated days ago. From that date, the EU's new EES electronic entry system is due to apply, and without provisional implementation it would require stricter entry and exit controls for Gibraltar.

The president of the Andalusian regional government, Juanma Moreno, acknowledged that the agreement represents "an improvement in the quality of life of residents in the Campo de Gibraltar", referring to the towns in Spain just across the border from the Rock from where around 15,000 people cross into Gibraltar every day for work.

Local mayors in those towns have repeatedly complained they had not seen the text of the agreement until now. "All the points of that agreement are known," foreign minister Albares stressed in response to the criticism.

One local mayor - from San Roque - said on Thursday it would be a challenge to get things ready for 10 April.

Schengen area

Gibraltar will in practice be part of the EU's Schengen common travel area and customs union.

One of the elements in Spain's favour is that Madrid will have the right of veto over the granting of residence permits in Gibraltar, to prevent third-country nationals, for example Russians or Chinese citizens, from using the Rock as a gateway into the EU.

The UK, for its part, has protected its military base. British and Nato military personnel will be exempt from Schengen passport and visa controls at the port and airport, the full text shows.

The new arrangements in the draft do not alter Britain's sovereignty over Gibraltar. According to a statement from Spain's foreign ministry, the deal "removes the border fence, guarantees the free movement of people and goods, and establishes a framework for tax, environmental and social cooperation."

Comply with EU rules

The treaty regulates the movement of goods through a system of harmonised controls. Spain will carry out customs checks on goods entering Gibraltar at the port or airport, and luggage checks will comply with EU rules.

The agreement also includes measures for convergence in indirect taxation on goods. Gibraltar will apply an indirect tax equivalent to VAT, starting at 15% from the start of the treaty and completing convergence within three years.

In addition, specific arrangements will be made to bring cigarette duty in line with European regulations. These measures are intended to avoid the widespread contraband tobacco entering Spain from Gibraltar.

The government of Gibraltar has been fully involved in the drafting of the treaty although it is the UK government that will sign the final text with the EU once ratified.