Border Controls between Spain and Gibraltar Lifted

From Wednesday, border controls between Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar will be eliminated. The agreement was signed in Brussels by EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, UK and Spanish ministers, and Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

Gibraltar covers only 6.8 square kilometers and is home to about 40,000 residents. Approximately 15,500 people from Spain commute daily for work, constituting nearly half of Gibraltar's workforce. Previously, crossing the border was time-consuming and caused significant inconvenience.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated in a radio interview that this agreement marks the beginning of a new era for Gibraltar and the adjacent Spanish region. Owen Smith, head of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses, told AFP that easier border crossing will greatly facilitate hiring and retaining employees, calling it a "very, very positive" development.

The deal aligns Gibraltar's regulations with Schengen Area rules, enabling freer movement between the two territories.