Gibraltar is on track for a provisional application of the new UK/EU treaty governing its relationship with the European Union by April 10th, according to officials in Brussels. The European Commission has requested approval from the Council of the European Union to sign the treaty while the full ratification process continues.
A Commission spokesperson indicated the aim is to secure rapid approval from the Council, allowing for the agreement to be signed and provisionally applied on that date. This would occur while the twenty-seven EU member states and the European Parliament complete the necessary procedures – a process that could take an extended period.
The Commission formally adopted and sent two proposals to the European co-legislators on Tuesday: one to authorize the signing and provisional application of the agreement, and another for the definitive celebration of the Treaty between the European Union and the United Kingdom regarding Gibraltar.
Once the Council provides its endorsement, the agreement could come into effect provisionally, pending the completion of ratification. This includes the consent of the European Parliament – which can approve or reject the text, but not amend it – and ratification by the United Kingdom.
The new treaty is intended to complete the legal framework for the bilateral relationship between the EU and the UK following Brexit, as Gibraltar was excluded from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that came into force in 2021. European Commissioner for Trade and responsible for relations with London, Maroš Šefčovič, stated the objective is to ensure the long-term prosperity of the region without compromising the Schengen area, the Single Market, or the Customs Union.
Šefčovič also emphasized that the agreement provides legal certainty and confidence to businesses and citizens in an area where approximately 15,000 people cross the border between Gibraltar and Spain daily, laying the foundations for closer cooperation.
Linked to New European Border System
The April 10th date is linked to the entry into force of the new European Entry/Exit System (EES), which will modify border controls within the EU. Brussels considers it crucial that the agreement on Gibraltar is operational before this system begins to apply definitively.
Full entry into force of the treaty will also require ratification by the United Kingdom. The Gibraltarian government, led by Fabian Picardo, already approved the text on January 19th, initiating the procedure that must pass through the Parliament of the Rock and subsequently through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Meanwhile, the Gibraltarian Executive has developed an information campaign aimed at institutions and economic sectors of the Rock, and has communicated the content of the agreement to the opposition. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured that the necessary preparations for the entry into force of the agreement are being finalized, in coordination with the various departments involved.
