The European Union announced on Wednesday it had sealed a deal with Britain and Spain on the status of the territory of Gibraltar, following five years of painstaking negotiations after Brexit.
The deal will allow the flow of people and goods over the Gibraltar-Spain border, forming part of London’s much-vaunted “reset” in ties with Brussels.
When Britain left the EU in 2020, the relationship between Gibraltar — a key military base for Britain due to its position at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea — and the bloc remained unresolved.
Talks between London, Madrid, Brussels and Gibraltar on a deal made halting progress negotiations under Britain’s previous Conservative government, but the arrival of Labour last year gave new impetus.
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“A truly historic milestone: an EU-UK political agreement on the future relationship concerning Gibraltar. This benefits everyone and reinforces a new chapter in the relationship,” EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said on X.
“Today’s breakthrough delivers a practical solution after years of uncertainty,” British Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement.
“Alongside the government of Gibraltar, we have a reached an agreement which protects British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar’s economy and allows businesses to plan for the long-term once again,” he added.
Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said he was “delighted” about the agreement that will bring “legal certainty to the people of Gibraltar, its businesses and to those across the region who rely on stability at the frontier.”
The deal, he added, “will protect future generations of British Gibraltarians and does not in any way affect our British sovereignty.”
