The European Commission (EC), the UK and Spain have managed to agree on a “common political line” regarding the situation in Gibraltar after Brexit in areas such as Rock airport or mobility.

This was announced after a meeting held by the Deputy President of the Community Executive in Brussels, this Friday. Maros Sefcovic and the Spanish foreign ministers, Jose Manuel Albaresand England, David Cameron.

“The debate took place in a constructive atmosphere and significant progress has been achieved. A general political line has been agreed, also regarding airports, freight transport and mobility,” Sefcovic, Albares, Cameron and the Prime Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardowho also participated in the meeting.

The four added to that negotiations will continue “in the coming weeks” to finalize an EU-UK deal on Gibraltar.

They indicated that the meeting reaffirmed the parties’ “joint” commitment to reach an agreement “to guarantee the future prosperity of the entire region.”

The situation of Gibraltar, a British colony in southern Spain since 1713, is leaving the UK’s exit agreement from the European Unionand the three parties involved are still negotiating, eight years after the Brexit referendum.

Airport and customs

The use of airports and customs controls have been the focus of the negotiating team’s discussions for months due to the great complexity and reluctance of both sides.

This Friday’s meeting took place in the context of a good climate between Brussels and London, following the thaw in relations carried out by the government of the British Prime Minister. Rishi Sunak.

Spain’s Foreign Minister stated after the meeting “this is not just another day” in negotiations regarding the situation in Gibraltar after Brexit.

“Today is not just an ordinary day, this is not just a day of negotiations. “Today is a very important day, in which important progress has been achieved and we all agreed, once again, in the coming weeks to continue working towards the conclusion” of the agreement, Albares told media.

He said he believed “there are still several weeks of work” left to finalize the agreement, but insisted that Friday’s “general political line” had been agreed.

“We have reached an agreement on a general political line at airports, goods and mobility. “We agreed not to elaborate or provide further details about the agreed political line,” said Spain’s diplomacy chief.

He indicated that the European Commission and Spain were “very aligned” in the negotiations, and stated that they had decided “that in the coming weeks all the texts that we present, that we exchange, will always be a joint text.”

He added that this agreement “will be beneficial the entire population of Campo de Gibraltarincluding the 300,000 Spanish citizens living there” and that it “perfectly safeguards our sovereign position.”

There is no specific date for the agreement

The minister admitted that they had not yet set a specific date for closing the agreement, and when asked if he wanted the agreement to be completed before the European elections on June 6 to 9, Albares replied that he wanted it to be closed “tomorrow”. “

Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardoalso highlighted the “significant progress in a very positive and constructive atmosphere” they had achieved, but apologized for not being able to provide further details “as negotiations have not yet ended.”

He estimated that “there are still weeks to complete these negotiations with a legal text that reflects the general political line we have agreed to today.”

“We have a history (with Spain) that is full of difficulties and we have to make sure the future is full of opportunities and partnerships, not difficulties. And that’s what we want to achieve,” Picardo said.

The Agreement on the Rock, which took place over time, is important to more than 32,000 Gibraltarians. more than 270,000 residents in the region The Spanish border at Campo de Gibraltar, the 15,000 workers who cross the border fence every day and the cluster of companies interacting on both sides of the small customs office.