A defining moment in Gibraltar's modern history took place today in Brussels, with the formal signature of the Treaty governing Gibraltar's future relationship with the European Union.

The Agreement was signed at the Berlaymont building by the Minister of State for Europe, the Rt Hon Stephen Doughty MP, on behalf of the United Kingdom, and European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič on behalf of the European Union. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, and the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, were present for the ceremony. The Gibraltar government was also represented by the Deputy Chief Minister The Hon Dr Joseph Garcia CMG MP, the Chief Secretary Mr Glendon Martinez and the Head of the Gibraltar Mission to the European Union Mr Daniel D'Amato MBE.

The signature brings to a conclusion more than four years of sustained and complex negotiations between Gibraltar, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Spain. It gives legal form to the political agreement reached by the four parties in the same building on 11 June 2025.

The Treaty establishes a permanent framework for a fluid land frontier, protecting the passage of Gibraltar residents, of millions of tourists a year and of the approximately 15,500 frontier workers who cross between Gibraltar and Spain every day, about half of our workforce. It therefore provides long-term certainty for Gibraltar's people and economy.

It enters into provisional application at midnight tonight, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Gibraltar and the surrounding region. Gibraltar's British sovereignty remains fully and expressly protected. The Treaty was approved unanimously by the Gibraltar Parliament.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said:

"Today will stand among the most significant days in Gibraltar's modern history.

"After years of uncertainty, endurance and determined negotiation, we have secured an international Treaty that protects Gibraltar, safeguards our sovereignty and opens the way to a more secure and prosperous future.

"This is not simply the conclusion of a negotiation. It is the beginning of a new era.

"The frontier that has so often divided and constrained our region will now become a place of cooperation and shared opportunity. The daily lives of thousands of people will be made easier, our economy will be given greater certainty and Gibraltar's future will rest on firm legal foundations.

"We have reached this moment without surrendering who we are, without compromising our British sovereignty and without weakening the constitutional protections that define Gibraltar.

"I pay tribute to all those who have worked with patience, courage and determination to make today possible. I thank His Majesty's Government, the European Commission and the Government of Spain for the commitment they have shown throughout this long process. I thank Stephen Doughty, Maroš Šefčovič and my friend José Manuel Albares for their work also as we worked together to navigate obstacles and we continued to believe in this process.

"I also wish to thank the people of Gibraltar for their resilience, trust and support throughout this long, difficult and often deeply unsettling process. I have no doubt that the outcome we have secured makes every challenge along the way worthwhile. The Gibraltarians have given me the strength to keep going and the belief that this outcome was the best one for our children and our children's children.

"History will remember this day. Gibraltar and its people continue their journey forward, with confidence in the future."