Checkpoints along the border separating Spain from Gibraltar are being dismantled following a landmark post-Brexit deal that will effectively erase the land boundary starting July 15. The agreement moves border controls to Gibraltar's airport, allowing approximately 15,000 cross-border workers to travel daily without routine checks.
Workmen have been observed removing buildings and checkpoints on the Spanish side, while auxiliary police structures are also being dismantled. Scaffolding has been erected on the Gibraltar side for canopies set to be removed, and Royal Gibraltar Police checkpoint booths will also disappear.
Integration into Schengen Area
Gibraltar will become part of the EU's Schengen travel area for border purposes, and the wire fence marking the isthmus border is also slated for eventual removal. British travelers arriving in Gibraltar by air or sea will undergo a new entry process involving checks by both Gibraltar officials and Spanish officers, with the latter having the final say on entry.
This change marks a significant shift more than three centuries after Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar during a conflict with Spain in 1704. Following Brexit, Gibraltar had faced the possibility of a hard EU border, raising concerns about severe economic disruption due to its reliance on daily cross-border workers.
Agreement and Implications
After four years of negotiations, the UK and the European Commission reached an agreement last June. The full treaty text was published this spring and is expected to receive final approval from the European Council soon. Reports suggest the agreement could be formally signed on July 13 by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.
The treaty is being characterized as one of the most significant agreements affecting a British Overseas Territory since the 1984 Hong Kong accord. While Gibraltar's sovereignty was not part of the negotiations, the new arrangement grants Spain increased influence. Spanish authorities will participate in entry checks and possess veto power over Gibraltar residency permits, leading to a surge in residency applications as individuals seek to secure their status.
Gibraltar has also agreed to align tobacco prices more closely with Spain and introduce a VAT-style sales tax. In return, Gibraltar residents will regain some EU freedom of movement rights lost after Brexit, enabling them to work across the EU as they did previously, though they will not have unrestricted rights to reside or study in the bloc.
Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo described the agreement as 'truly historic,' noting it as the first major international accord affecting Gibraltar since the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. He expressed encouragement for businesses to invest in the neighboring Campo de Gibraltar region, envisioning a future 'shared zone of prosperity.'