Spain and the United Kingdom have scheduled the removal of border controls between Spain and Gibraltar to begin on July 15. The move follows years of negotiations between the European Union and the UK to address the status of the British Overseas Territory after Brexit. The agreement aligns Gibraltar with the European customs union and the Schengen Area, facilitating the free movement of people and goods across a border fence that has been in place since 1908.
Under the new arrangement, approximately 15,000 workers who commute daily from Spain to Gibraltar will no longer face passport checks or customs queues at the land border. Travelers arriving at Gibraltar's airport or port from non-Schengen countries, including the United Kingdom, will still be required to present passports to both Gibraltarian and Spanish officials. Gibraltar, which voted 96% to remain in the EU in 2016, will also begin complying with EU goods regulations and introduce a new transaction tax to replace import duties.
Officials from both sides stated the agreement aims to provide an economic boost to the region. The Mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, Juan Franco, noted that a third of local business income in the Spanish border town is derived from Gibraltar. Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, described the change as a "new dawn" for human and business relations. The deal remains subject to final formal approval by the UK and European Parliaments.