UK Defence Forum

6 hrs to midnight an agreement in principle

"Gibraltar will not become a Schengen member [...], but will become a Spanish entry point to the wider Schengen zone.

"Spain is a member of Schengen and she is extending the opportunity to enter into the Schengen area if you enter one of the entry points in Gibraltar, and Gibraltar has two entry points: ports and marinas, and the airport," Picardo said."

I guess the land boarder arrangements are not easy (kill the tax-free?).

ArmChairCivvy wrote:6 hrs to midnight an agreement in principle

"Gibraltar will not become a Schengen member [...], but will become a Spanish entry point to the wider Schengen zone.

"Spain is a member of Schengen and she is extending the opportunity to enter into the Schengen area if you enter one of the entry points in Gibraltar, and Gibraltar has two entry points: ports and marinas, and the airport," Picardo said."

I guess the land boarder arrangements are not easy (kill the tax-free?).

That would seem to give an awful lot of leverage to Spain.

Don't think so, bcz
1. Gib does not export goods
2. It exports services (mainly to the RoW)
3. Spanish folks (labour, a great many of them professionals) are an intermediate input to that
... who would like to put an end to that?
4. Likewise, tourism (3 mln visits to Gib/ yr) is a win-win

So, a deal, with " a six-month transition period (and then formalise the new arrangements with a treaty.)"

The BBC says just hours before midnight, their time stamp on the story is a whole seven hours before.

Unclear e.g. whose Covid restrictions (for arrivals) will apply over the next half year?

ArmChairCivvy wrote:a deal, with " a six-month transition period (and then formalise the new arrangements with a treaty.)"

The BBC says just hours before midnight, their time stamp on the story is a whole seven hours before.

Just like that wonderful, overall deal, everything is subject to further or re-negotiation. As for GIB:

"

Last December, just hours before Brexit came into full force, the UK struck a deal with the European Union to keep Gibraltar in the bloc's borderless Schengen area.

That agreement, however, was provisional and now, nearly six months later, it is set to expire by the end of June."