UK finalises post-Brexit border deal for Gibraltar

"Under the deal, Gibraltar will not officially join the zone, made up of 29 mainly EU countries, but Schengen-style border checks will instead be carried out on travellers arriving at the territory's port and airport. Gibraltarian officials will carry out initial checks on arrivals, with Spanish authorities then conducting "second line" checks in a special zone."

"The system is designed to remove checks at Gibraltar's land border with Spain, which is crossed every day by around half of the Rock's workforce. The UK government is likening it to the system in operation at London's St Pancras station, where Eurostar passengers are checked by both British and French officials before boarding trains for the continent."

"Gibraltar was not covered by the UK's 2021 trade deal with the EU, and the UK has previously described it as the "last piece of the EU exit jigsaw". The treaty implements a political deal agreed between the UK and EU in June last year, and confirms key details of how the new arrangements will work in practice."

A new treaty between Britain and the EU clarifies Gibraltar's status following Brexit uncertainty. The agreement removes the land border between Gibraltar and Spain by implementing Schengen-style checks at the territory's port and airport instead. Gibraltarian officials conduct initial passenger checks, with Spanish authorities performing secondary checks in a designated zone. The system mirrors arrangements at London's St Pancras station with dual-nation screening. Most goods for Gibraltar will clear EU customs in Spain, eliminating land border customs checks. This resolves a critical gap in Brexit arrangements, as Gibraltar was excluded from the 2021 UK-EU trade deal. The treaty implements a political agreement from June and requires final legal review and ratification.

Read at www.bbc.com