Gibraltar Border Controls End After EU‑UK Treaty

Overview

• The multilateral treaty was signed in Brussels on Tuesday by EU, UK, Spanish and Gibraltar officials and entered into force the next day, suspending routine land‑border controls between Spain and Gibraltar.
• Dozens of people and vehicles crossed the frontier without ad hoc inspections after midnight on Wednesday, and workers removed the metal fence in the Campo de Gibraltar as Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez visited the area.
• Under the agreement Gibraltar is aligned with Schengen‑style free movement for cross‑border daily traffic so Gibraltar residents may use residence cards and Spanish nationals may use national ID at the land crossing.
• The deal keeps passport and immigration checks for travellers arriving at Gibraltar’s airport and port from outside Schengen, and the UK is seeking a pre‑clearance model for the airport similar to the French police arrangement at St Pancras.
• The change matters for about 15,500 Spanish cross‑border workers who supply nearly half of Gibraltar’s workforce and should cut long daily waits, ease hiring for Gibraltar firms and require new cooperation on policing, customs and implementation.