Spain and the United Kingdom agree on the “basic political traces” on Gibraltar | Spain

Spain and the United Kingdom have managed to agree this Friday in Brussels on the “basic political traces” on Gibraltar and, though neither celebration dares to but set a date for the closing political settlement on the standing of the Rock in the EU, pending since Since the consummation of Brexit 4 years in the past, the “vital progress” obtained at the assembly held at the headquarters of the European Commission opens the door to new progress “in the coming weeks”, as said by each events in a joint assertion. Among the political traces already agreed upon throughout this present day are delicate points resembling the airport, items and mobility.

“Today is not only one other day of negotiation, it has been an important day, the place vital progress has been achieved and during which all of us agree, as soon as once more, to proceed working in the coming weeks to conclude,” declared the minister. of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, at the finish of the assembly collectively together with his British counterpart, David Cameron; the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, and the Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic, chargeable for relations with the United Kingdom, who particularly welcomed the “constructive ambiance” that dominated the assembly.

The assembly, the first of this format and with all the key actors seated round the desk, “has reaffirmed the shared dedication to conclude an EU-United Kingdom settlement that ensures a way forward for prosperity for the complete area,” the assertion stated. set. Said settlement will present “confidence, authorized safety and stability to the lives and high quality of life of individuals all through the area, with out prejudice to the authorized positions of every of the events,” provides the official agreed textual content, which is lacking particulars each on the basic political traces already agreed upon and on the date and place for the subsequent assembly.

In 2020, it was agreed in the absence of some points nonetheless in negotiation that Gibraltar will be a part of Schengen, the European free motion space made up of 26 international locations (22 neighborhood international locations, plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein), in order that the border of The colony will not be in La Verja to be situated in its port and airport. In this manner, these getting into from Spanish territory to Gibraltar won’t want a passport, however the British who need to journey to their colony will, since the United Kingdom is just not a part of Schengen.

Albares and Picardo, the solely ones of these gathered who’ve spoken to the media after a closed-door assembly that lasted greater than three hours, have justified this vagueness in the phrases with the have to “shield the negotiation and be certain that it reaches a conclusion.” good port”, as the head of Spanish diplomacy has identified.

Of course, Albares has assured, Madrid and Brussels will preserve the similar line in the pending negotiations. “The Commission and Spain are completely aligned and, as we’ve got been doing, we’ve got additionally agreed that in the coming weeks all the texts that we current, that we alternate, will always be joint texts,” the Foreign Minister identified.

The assembly in Brussels had generated nice expectations, each on account of its excessive degree, unprecedented, and on account of the timing, since it’s pressing to shut an settlement earlier than the European elections in June. The elections may put a brake on negotiations since, most likely, they might not be resumed till the subsequent neighborhood Executive was fashioned. However, it isn’t clear that this schedule will probably be met. Although Albares has assured that “for Spain it isn’t going to be as quickly as attainable”, Picardo has acknowledged that the “weeks” talked about by the events may nonetheless be prolonged for just a few months. “The most vital factor is to maneuver ahead and attain that settlement that has been so elusive till now,” confused the Prime Minister of the Rock.

From Dublin, the final stage of his European tour to hunt worldwide consensus on the recognition of the Palestinian State, the President of the Government commented this Friday afternoon that he had acquired “very optimistic alerts” from the Brussels assembly. “The negotiations will proceed over the coming weeks, and we hope that we will attain a profitable settlement between the European Union and the United Kingdom,” emphasised Pedro Sánchez, who nonetheless specified that “some vital points stay to be resolved” as soon as General political traces have been outlined on points “crucial for the Government of Spain, resembling the airport, items and mobility.”

The tripartite assembly in Brussels has been the fruits of a number of weeks of intense contacts during which, as Albares had anticipated upon his arrival, they’ve “started to method positions on the points that remained pending.” Although the head of Spanish diplomacy maintains the mantra that “nothing is agreed till all the pieces is agreed,” on the eve of the journey, in statements to Onda Cero he already stated he was assured that he was “ever nearer to all the pieces being agreed.” . The objective is, as Albares confirmed this Friday, “to advance as a lot as attainable in that space of ​​shared prosperity for the complete countryside of Gibraltar.”

Before his assembly with Cameron, Albares held a “preparatory” assembly alone with Sefcovic, whereas Cameron held one other, additionally behind closed doorways, with Picardo. The head of British diplomacy, who throughout his time as prime minister referred to as the referendum for the United Kingdom to go away the EU, left immediately after the assembly and thus bypassed the press. The British Government had always prevented speaking about the risk of a closing settlement this Friday, though it did outline the assembly as a possibility to debate nose to nose at the highest degree the final pending points with the intention of attaining some sort of platform. to advance the negotiations, an goal that every one events now take into account completed.

Diplomatic sources had indicated to this newspaper that the negotiation is now in its closing stretch, with an alternate of texts on the drafting of a treaty that may essentially be in depth and detailed, because it impacts all kinds of fields in relations between the British colony. and the EU. The position that the brokers of the European company Frontex and the members of the Spanish safety forces may have in the management of passengers arriving in Gibraltar from third international locations and the joint use of the airport, constructed on an isthmus whose possession they declare Madrid and London have grow to be the most delicate points of the negotiation, as they contact on problems with sovereignty that each events have agreed to maintain on the sidelines.

The future treaty can also be referred to as to embody problems with staff’ rights, taxation, security or the surroundings. Hence, the negotiation additionally revolves round equating the pensions of Gibraltarians with that of cross-border staff in the Rock, about 400 kilos (about 465 euros) on common greater than these of the former. To that is added fiscal and tax harmonization, which might have an effect on merchandise resembling tobacco, and which seeks to equate Gibraltar with tax burdens of different European territories that don’t essentially must be like these of Spain.

The two international locations spotlight the good concord of relations at the second, a incontrovertible fact that allowed the relaunch of the negotiations round Gibraltar at the finish of final 12 months, additionally in Brussels, with a primary nose to nose between Albares and Cameron on the margins of a summit of NATO overseas ministers that has now taken one other vital, though not but definitive, step.

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