The UK EU treaty will offer prosperity, security and stability to Gibraltar and the surrounding region, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia has declared in London.

He contrasted this situation with the uncertainty generated by the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, and with the difficult challenge posed in the event of no treaty at all.

Dr Garcia addressed the twelfth meeting of the EU Committee of the Regions UK Contact Group, which gathered at Europe House in London, the home of the combined EU missions to the UK. It serves as the European Parliament Liaison Office and the European Union Delegation.

The Contact Group brings together representatives from local and regional governments across the EU and the UK family. The Gibraltar Government has maintained positive engagement with them over a number of years.

The Deputy Chief Minister reminded those present that Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union. He said the new treaty will represent what people voted for, offering the closest possible relationship with the EU short of membership, which is no longer an option after the UK’s departure.

He told delegates that the proposed treaty will require adjustments for citizens and businesses on both sides of the border, but noted that these would be far less significant than those required in a no treaty outcome. He also reminded them that this was the last remaining piece of the Brexit jigsaw after the TCA and the Windsor Framework settled the UK’s wider relationship, including with Northern Ireland.

Dr Garcia explained that the centrepiece of the new treaty is the mobility model. This aims to create greater prosperity through the removal of customs and immigration controls at the land border between Gibraltar and Spain. The outcome would be a fluid border for people and goods travelling in either direction. This objective is supported by the constitutional competences which the Gibraltar Government holds in both areas.

The Deputy Chief Minister stressed that this treaty is very different from the one negotiated by the UK because it reflects Gibraltar’s unique circumstances and requirements. He made clear that the treaty is not about sovereignty, but about the practicalities of a new relationship between Gibraltar and the European Union.

Dr Garcia’s contribution was followed by questions from the floor. The discussions also covered wider UK EU relations and their impact at a local and regional level.

ENDS