Gibraltar’s border with Spain will remain open after Brexit while the UK and the EU agree on a draft agreement

THE GIBRALTAR BORDER WITH Spain will remain open after the end of the Brexit transition period after the UK and the European Union agreed on a draft agreement.

The state of The Rock was not covered in the trade agreement reached by Boris Johnson on Christmas Eve, raising concerns about what would happen when the transition period ends at 11pm today.

Gibraltar, whose sovereignty is disputed by Spain and Great Britain, will remain subject to the Schengen area of ​​free travel rule, said Spain’s foreign minister.

Arancha González Laya announced that the “agreement in principle” means that people in Gibraltar “can breathe easier.”

He said more details about the deal would be released in the New Year.

Johnson said: “I wholeheartedly welcome today’s political agreement between the UK and Spain on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU.

“The UK has always been, and will continue to be, fully committed to protecting the interests of Gibraltar and its British sovereignty.”

Chancellor Dominic Raab added: “Today, working closely with the Prime Minister of Gibraltar, and after intense discussions with the Spanish government, we reached an agreement on a political framework to form the basis of an independent treaty between the UK and the European Union. with respect to Gibraltar.

“We will now send this to the European Commission, in order to start negotiations on the formal treaty.

“In the meantime, all parties are committed to mitigating the effects of the end of the transition period in Gibraltar and, in particular, to ensuring border fluidity, which is clearly in the best interest of the people living on both sides.

“We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar and its sovereignty. I thank Chancellor Laya and her team for their positive and constructive approach.

“We have a warm and strong relationship with Spain, and we hope to continue building on it in 2021.”