UK, EU, Spain and Gibraltar close a historic deal over the Rock's border controls

Spain will carry out passport controls at Gibraltar's port and airport according to the agreement reached this Wednesday in Brussels between the UK and the EU.

The deal will lead to the abolition of the border, according to the joint statement released on Wednesday evening after the meeting held with European Commissioner Maroš Šefcovič, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, together with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, in Brussels.

According to the statement, the agreement will "establish dual Gibraltar and Schengen border checks at Gibraltar port and airport - to be carried out in full cooperation between the EU and UK/Gibraltar authorities, removing all checks at the crossing point between Gibraltar and La Linea for the many thousands of people who travel across daily in both directions."

In this sense, the declaration clarifies that “For the EU, full Schengen checks will be carried out by Spain”, which would rule out the proposal that Frontex agents could be the ones to carry out such controls.

For the UK, full Gibraltar checks will continue to be carried out as they are today. They also agreed arrangements for visas and permits and close cooperation between the police and law enforcement authorities.

The text published by Brussels, London and Madrid specifies that “full Gibraltar checks will continue to be carried out as they are today” on the UK side. In addition, the parties have agreed on “arrangements for visas and permits and close cooperation between the police and law enforcement authorities”.