PLANS to remove the hard border between Spain and Gibraltar have been delayed by three months, with the new target date set for July 15 under post-Brexit arrangements.
Originally, the long-awaited treaty was due to dismantle the land border between La Linea and the Rock on April 10, but additional time is now needed for ongoing legal and technical processes.
After the European Council approved the deal, they announced the revised schedule.
In a statement, the Council said: “The texts will be formally adopted as soon as the checks of the Council lawyer-linguists are concluded.”
“The Agreement is expected to enter into provisional application on 15 July 2026.”
Gibraltar’s Government also welcomed the announcement, describing the new start date as ‘very welcome.’
No.6 Convent Place added that it provides ‘both certainty and breathing space’ for the Rock’s residents and businesses.
The Rock’s government also assured that Gibraltar residents will not be subject to the EU’s new Entry/Exit system.
In a statement, the Rock’s government said: “The government has been assured that the new European Entry/Exit System, which comes into effect on April 10, will not apply to any Gibraltar residents.”
The treaty will see the removal of routine checks at the land border, allowing the 15,000 people who cross the border between Spain and Gibraltar to work each day to cross without border checks.
Immigration and customs checks will be focussed on ports and airports instead, with both Spanish and Gibraltarian authorities carrying them out.
After weeks of uncertainty over the treaty, the revised schedule and exemption for Gibraltarians is ‘a very positive development’ according to the Rock’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
He said: “I am very happy we can give our traders the additional time they wanted and our people the certainty they sought.”
Click here to read more Gibraltar News from The Olive Press.
