The European Commission has now published the full legal text of the UK–EU treaty setting out Gibraltar’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo welcomed the publication, saying it allows full public scrutiny before ratification processes move forward in the EU, the UK and Gibraltar.
The treaty establishes a detailed framework designed to support smooth cross-border movement and closer cooperation, with the central aim of removing routine physical checks at the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain. This is considered essential for the thousands of daily cross-border workers and the wider regional economy.
However, the agreement must still be signed, ratified and implemented before it takes effect. Once in force, it is expected to help avoid disruption linked to new EU border systems while maintaining fluid movement between Gibraltar and the surrounding area.
Last year Gibraltar recorded a record number of cross-border workers, reaching 15,509 people — about half of the territory’s workforce. Most are Spanish (10,859), the highest figure since records began, while British cross-border workers have declined slightly in recent years. Portuguese workers are the third-largest group, with smaller numbers from several other European countries.
The treaty covers far more than border arrangements. It sets out cooperation in areas including trade, customs, policing, environmental standards and taxation. Gibraltar will remain outside the Schengen area, and the agreement does not address sovereignty or alter any party’s position on it. Immigration, policing and justice remain under Gibraltar’s control, while UK military autonomy is unchanged.
Under the proposed system, border-style checks for travellers arriving from outside Schengen would take place at Gibraltar airport rather than at the land frontier. The treaty also establishes a bespoke customs framework to allow goods to circulate more freely between Gibraltar and the EU, with local sales required to meet EU standards. New governance structures, including a UK–EU cooperation council, will oversee implementation.
While Gibraltar’s business community broadly supports a negotiated settlement after years of uncertainty, concerns remain about the pace of implementation, the complexity of new arrangements and potential economic impacts. Businesses are seeking clearer operational guidance, coordinated procedures and appropriate support to manage any transition.
EU and UK institutions are now moving through the formal ratification process, and Gibraltar’s parliament will also debate the agreement. Supporters say it could bring long-term stability, economic certainty and practical continuity for the border region — with the potential to replace physical frontier checks with new systems operating behind the scenes.
