Gibraltar: Post-Brexit EU agreement 'very close' after talks

Pictured with Lord David Cameron from left to right are Gibraltar's Fabian Picardo, the European Commission's Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and Spain's José Manuel Albares

A post-Brexit agreement on border checks and transit for Gibraltar is "within kissing distance", the head of the territory has said.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo spoke to reporters after a meeting with other stakeholders in Brussels.

Also in attendance were Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and the European Commission's Maroš Šefčovič.

In a joint statement, they said "significant progress" had been made.

Mr Picardo said a permanent agreement was "very, very, very, very close".

He said: "In English we say 'within spitting distance', but actually it's nicer to say 'within kissing distance'."

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"Negotiations will continue so I can't give you more details," he added.

The joint statement between the different parties stated: "Political lines have been agreed, including on airport, goods and mobility. Negotiations will continue over the coming weeks to conclude the EU-UK Agreement."

It said the talks took place in a "constructive atmosphere".

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory situated on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, where it shares a border with Spain.

It has been ruled by Britain since 1713, but is self-governing in all areas except defence and foreign policy. On 11 April, the territory marked 311 years since it was ceded to Britain (along with Newfoundland) in the Treaty of Utrecht.

Spain has consistently claimed sovereignty over the territory, but Gibraltar's 1969 constitution states that there can be no transfer of sovereignty to Spain against the wishes of locals.

In 2002 there was a referendum on whether Britain and Spain could share sovereignty of the territory, but the concept was resoundingly rejected.

The UK's decision to leave the EU in 2016, and thereby end freedom of movement between the two, created problems in Gibraltar, where thousands of people cross the border with Spain every day to work, shop or visit family.

The territory was not included in the permanent UK-EU Brexit deal and has instead been operating under ad hoc arrangements.

Since October 2021, there have been 17 rounds of talks aimed at reaching a permanent solution.

Following Brexit, the British overseas territory has been operating under temporary rules

Last month, veteran Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash said he was "disturbed to hear" that the UK had agreed in principle to allow EU border checks to take place in Gibraltar and "joint UK-Spanish management of Gibraltar's airport", which is used by both commercial airlines and the RAF.

The chair of the European Scrutiny Committee also expressed concern that Gibraltar residents could be prevented from crossing into Spain "relatively unhindered".

Foreign Office Minister David Rutley said the UK government would not agree to anything that "compromises sovereignty".

On the future of the airport, he said the UK was "prepared to explore practical and technical options" but would "only agree to terms with which the Government of Gibraltar are content".