Gibraltar deal set for 14 July as border fence nears its end

Gibraltar border

The elimination of controls at the land border will give way to a new control system at Gibraltar Airport

Miren Landeta

Gibraltar is heading for one of the most significant changes in its recent history following Brexit. In less than a week, on 14 July, the EU and the UK will sign the historic agreement that will eliminate the physical land border.

Although the initial plan was for the signing to take place on 13 July, Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has confirmed the one-day postponement.

The agreement will be signed by the European Commission, which negotiated it on behalf of the 27 member states. European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič will sign on behalf of Brussels, while British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will attend on behalf of the UK.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Fabian Picardo are also scheduled to travel to Brussels. Both have participated in the various rounds of political negotiations held over the past few years, although they will not formally take part in the signing of the agreement.

Pedro Sánchez and Albares

The day before the signing, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit La Línea de la Concepción with Albares to symbolically mark the imminent removal of the border fence and the transfer of passport controls to Gibraltar Airport.

Neither Sánchez not Albares, however, has officially confirmed this trip or the planned agenda.

New security checkpoint at the airport

The agreement wll provisionally enter into force from the first second of 15 July, while EU and the UK complete the ratification process.

This will eliminate controls at the land border. From that moment onwards, local authorities and the Spanish National Police will be in charge of access control to the Schengen Area at Gibraltar Airport.

During his address to the Gibraltar parliament, Fabian Picardo announced that he will present the so-called 'concordat' between the UK and Gibraltar in the coming days.

This document stipulates that London will exercise the powers derived from the agreement "in accordance with the wishes and consent of the government of Gibraltar" and will allow the residents of Gibraltar to decide by referendum whether the agreement should be terminated in the future.

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