The arrival in government of United Kingdom work Keir Starmer Nor did it allow the endless negotiations on Gibraltar’s status within the European Union after Brexit to be closed once and for all. Even though the three executives (Spain, the United Kingdom and Gibraltar) They belong to the same socialist political familyThis alignment was not enough to obtain the white smoke. After four hours of dialogue this Thursday in Brussels, the negotiators separated without an agreement, even if they speak of “further progress on complex issues negotiation, particularly in matters of persons and property”.
This was the third meeting in Brussels at ministerial level, but the first since the change of government in London. On the European Union side, the interlocutors have not changed: the Vice-President of the Commission, Maros Sefcovićand the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel AlbaresThe novelty was the British Foreign Secretary, David Lamywho replaced David Cameron and with whom Albares was seen on Monday in London. Within the delegation of the United Kingdom, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar also repeated: Fabien Picardo.
For the first time, an image of the four negotiators sitting around the table was broadcast. An uncomfortable photograph for Spain for placing the Chief Minister of the Rock as an interlocutor on the same level as the others. During the two previous meetings, the only images available of the four are those standing.
[Albares y Cameron no logran cerrar el acuerdo sobre Gibraltar aunque aseguran estar “cerca”]
“Building on the significant progress made at the meetings of 12 April and 16 May, the talks held today have been constructive and productive“which will lead to further progress on complex negotiating issues, including those relating to people and goods,” read the joint statement issued by the UK and EU after the meeting.
“The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment to reaching an EU-UK agreement that brings confidence, legal certainty and stability to people across the region,” safeguard the legal positions of each party“(The negotiators) agreed to remain in constant contact and that the teams work closely and intensively on the outstanding issues,” the brief statement concluded.
Although the current Commission ends its mandate on 31 October, none of the negotiators have set a deadline for concluding the agreement. More than 4 Years after the United Kingdom left the European Union, Gibraltar’s status is the only Brexit problem that has not yet been solved. So far, 18 rounds of dialogue have taken place at the technical level, in addition to three rounds of dialogue at the political level, without any concrete results being known. In fact, the negotiation on Gibraltar is one of the most opaque in memory in Brussels.
“We have made progress on the fundamental aspects, the free movement of people but also the free movement of goods. There is still technical work to be done on very practical aspects. We have agreed to continue working and to redouble our intensity in the coming weeks. to be able to conclude this agreement once and for all as soon as possible“, Albares said at the end of the meeting.
Gibraltar negotiators at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday
“From Spain, we have clearly expressed our totally constructive position, totally in favour of achieving this agreement. And making it clear that we consider it to be good for Gibraltar and for the 300,000 Andalusians from the countryside of Gibraltar for the freedom of movement of people and goods. But at the same time we must ensure that controls within the Schengen area and freedom of movement, and within the customs union and therefore the free movement of goods, are respected and applied in exactly the same way as in the rest of the Schengen area or the customs union,” said the head of Spanish diplomacy.
The new Starmer government has set itself a target in its negotiations with the EU on Gibraltar protect the sovereignty and military autonomy of the United Kingdom and ensure the prosperity of the Rock and the region. London currently has two uncrossable red lines: never to conclude an agreement by which Gibraltar passes under the sovereignty of another State and never to engage in a negotiation process with which the Rock is not satisfied.
The aim of the EU-UK agreement on Gibraltar is permanently dismantle the fence with the aim of facilitating the transit of more than 10,000 Spanish workers who cross the border every day and create a “shared prosperity zone” with Campo de Gibraltar.
Controls will be moved to the port and airport of Peñón and they will be carried out by the European border guards (Frontex), even if Gibraltar will not formally enter the Schengen area. Concrete solutions to put these changes into practice have been the main problem since the beginning of the negotiations. The treaty must also cover the management of airports and the transit of goods. Taxation of goods is another obstacle to dialogue.
