THE long-awaited text of the UK-EU treaty on Gibraltar will finally be published tomorrow, setting the stage for the removal of the physical border infrastructure.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to personally attend the historic removal of the fence in La Linea de la Concepcion.
Deputy prime minister Maria Jesus Montero confirmed that Sanchez plans to lead an official ceremony in the border town to mark the end of the physical divide.
Preparations for a fluid frontier are already visibly underway on the Spanish side.
Local authorities in La Linea have confirmed the transfer of 1,800 square metres of land to the state to build a new road connecting the customs area directly to the airport.
This infrastructure shift anticipates a joint-use agreement for the airport, which La Linea hopes will boost a technology centre it plans to take advantage of new opportunities the treaty will present.
READ MORE: EU fast-tracks Gibraltar treaty to ensure fluid border ahead of April’s deadline
But while politicians prepare for historic photo opportunities, business leaders on the Rock are sounding the alarm.
The Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses (GFSB) and the Chamber of Commerce have issued a desperate plea for urgent government support ahead of the treaty’s provisional implementation on April 10.
They warn that local companies face an overnight transaction tax hike to 15%, up from rates as low as zero, alongside severe supply chain disruptions.
“With fewer than seven weeks remaining before implementation on the 10th April, this is a narrow but critical window in which practical business realities can still be addressed,” the business groups said in a joint letter.
They are demanding targeted financial help and the protection of Gibraltar’s ‘British commercial identity’ to survive the sudden transition.
The rushed April implementation date is required to avoid the launch of the new European Entry/Exit System (EES), which would otherwise cause massive delays at the border.
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