Breakthrough After Brexit: Spain and United Kingdom Reach Agreement on Gibraltar

After years of complex negotiations, the governments in Madrid and London have reached a consensus that has the potential to definitively regulate Gibraltar's status. The central point of the announced treaty is the removal of physical border barriers, which is intended to make life easier for thousands of workers who cross the border daily. Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced that Spain will exercise control over the external borders of the Schengen Area at Gibraltar's port and airport. This means Spanish police officers will be visible at these strategic points, which for the British side had been a contentious issue for years due to sovereignty symbolism. The dispute over sovereignty of Gibraltar has lasted since 1713, when under the Treaty of Utrecht the territory was ceded to Great Britain after the War of the Spanish Succession. Despite the government's triumphant tone, the opposition People's Party criticizes the agreement, claiming that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez 'capitulated' and squandered Spain's historic negotiating advantage. Local authorities from the Campo de Gibraltar region also express skepticism, pointing to a lack of precision on environmental protection and tax dumping issues. The Mayor of Algeciras criticized the fact that the thousand-page document was delivered to local authorities almost exclusively in English, which hinders its immediate analysis. The treaty also provides Spain with a veto right over residence permits on the Rock, which is intended to prevent the British administration of the territory from circumventing EU migration regulations. „Este acuerdo permite que desaparezca el último muro de la Europa continental.” (This agreement allows the last wall of continental Europe to disappear.) — José Manuel Albares Operational issues remain the subject of additional administrative arrangements, but it is expected that the treaty will enter into force on April 10, 2026. For the region's residents, the most important effect will be the free movement of people and goods, which could revitalize the local economy, heavily dependent on the Gibraltar job market. At the same time, Albares emphasized that Spain will never renounce its claims to sovereignty over this territory, and the current treaty is merely a framework for technical and economic cooperation that does not undermine Madrid's historical demands.