Overview
- The EU–UK Gibraltar agreement was formally signed and took effect this week, ending routine passport and customs checks on the land border between Spain and Gibraltar.
- Schengen entry rules will apply at land crossings even though Gibraltar will remain outside formal Schengen membership.
- Passport checks will continue to be required for arrivals to Gibraltar by air and sea and the airport and port will keep border controls in place.
- The deal binds Gibraltar more closely to EU customs standards and introduces new fiscal measures, including a transaction tax to replace prior import duties.
- The change primarily helps roughly 15,000–15,500 daily Spanish commuters who faced long waits, but the long-running sovereignty dispute between Spain and the UK remains unresolved and the 1908 metal border fence is slated for removal.