HM Government of Gibraltar confirms that, following receipt of a final and stable draft text of the UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, the Chief Minister has formally invited the Leader of the Opposition to attend a confidential briefing on the Treaty.

The Government considers it appropriate that all elected representatives are now fully appraised of the Treaty's fundamentals - particularly regarding sovereignty protections - directly from the source text, rather than through earlier briefings on principles or external commentary. The objective of the briefing is to ensure that the Opposition is able to review and consider the draft Treaty and its supporting documents in advance of its public release.

The briefing will cover the text, current status and fundamental principles of the Treaty, including matters relating to sovereignty protections, and will take place at a critical stage in the ratification process.

The meeting will be conducted on OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE (“Privy Council”) terms and will be led by the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, together with the Deputy Chief Minister and the Attorney General. While the content of the briefing will remain confidential, the fact of the meeting will be public.

The briefing has been scheduled for 3:00pm on Tuesday, 10 February, at No. 6 Convent Place. The Leader of the Opposition has confirmed his attendance with relevant shadow colleagues.

HM Government of Gibraltar reiterates its view that, at this stage of the process, Gibraltar’s elected representatives should be fully informed of the Treaty’s provisions so that Gibraltar may approach the forthcoming ratification process with clarity, responsibility and an understanding of the strategic rationale underpinning the agreement.