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Britain and EU Sign Gibraltar Treaty to Ease Border Crossings

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Britain and the European Union have formally signed a treaty defining Gibraltar’s post-Brexit status, marking a significant step toward reducing border restrictions and ending years of uncertainty surrounding the British overseas territory. The agreement was signed in Brussels by European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

Under the new treaty, Gibraltar residents will be able to cross into Spain using their residence cards without passport stamps, while Spanish citizens can enter Gibraltar using a government-issued identity card. Passengers arriving at Gibraltar Airport will undergo passport checks by both Gibraltar and Spanish border authorities, creating a streamlined system for cross-border travel.

The agreement builds on a deal reached last year and is intended to strengthen cooperation between Britain, Spain, Gibraltar, and the European Union. Gibraltar, a British overseas territory at the southern tip of Spain, has remained a sensitive issue since Brexit. Britain has controlled the territory since the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, making the new accord an important milestone in managing future border and travel arrangements.

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Spain to Check Gibraltar Arrivals Under Post-Brexit Treaty

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The UK has agreed to allow Spanish border guards to conduct passport checks on travellers arriving in Gibraltar under a draft post-Brexit treaty with the EU. The 1,000-page agreement will introduce Spanish-run “second line” Schengen checks at Gibraltar’s airport and port, following initial controls by local authorities. The deal aims to secure an open land border with Spain and provide long-term certainty for the territory ahead of stricter EU border rules coming into force in April.

While Gibraltar will not formally join the passport-free Schengen zone, Spanish officials will be empowered to carry out searches, arrests and interviews when justified during border control procedures. Non-EU nationals, including British passport holders, will face biometric checks under the EU’s Entry Exit System. The arrangement is intended to eventually remove the 1.2km fence separating Gibraltar from Spain — a crossing used daily by thousands of workers — and streamline travel while avoiding disruption to the local economy.

The treaty also brings Gibraltar into the EU customs union, aligning import duties with Spain and introducing a phased “transaction tax” on goods sold locally, though its zero-VAT regime will remain. Fabian Picardo welcomed the agreement as providing certainty for businesses, while the UK government described it as part of a new era of cooperation with the European Union. The draft must still be ratified by both the UK and European Parliaments before taking effect.

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