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Date Published: 19/09/2024

Gibraltar crunch talks begin with new British Foreign Secretary

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The first three-way meeting of the new team to advance the Gibraltar deal will be held in Brussels this week

Gibraltar crunch talks begin with new British Foreign Secretary

A crucial meeting is set to take place in Brussels this Thursday September 19, bringing together the new British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, his Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabián Picardo and the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovicsu.

This is the first three-way meeting for David Lammy since he took up the post, and it aims to advance the agreement between Spain, Gibraltar and the EU.

According to Albares, the objective of the meeting is to “confirm that the United Kingdom, with the new government, is assuming what has been agreed to date in the different aspects” of a future pact regarding the Rock.

The Spanish side is committed to offering a “generous and balanced agreement with freedom of movement of people and goods that respects Schengen and customs controls,” similar to the rest of the region.

The negotiations looked to be in danger of derailing last week due to a long-standing dispute between Gibraltar and Spain over a concrete block stolen by a Spanish far-right group in 2014. However, things seem to be back on track, and this meeting marks a significant step forward.

In a recent meeting in London, the Spanish rep emphasised the importance of creating “a common prosperity” between Gibraltar and the 300,000 Andalucíans who travel back and forth between the Rock and mainland Spain every day.

Along the same vein, Lammy stressed Britain's interest in “achieving prosperity and security” for the people of Gibraltar with a new treaty that cements the relationship with Spain and the European Union.

While all parties feel confident that a deal on the future of Gibraltar is imminent, there are still many technical and practical issues to be resolved.

“I look forward to continuing the work to find an agreement on a Treaty between the United Kingdom and the EU on Gibraltar's future relationship with the EU,” Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said ahead of the negotiations.

In other news: New British Ambassador Sir Alex Ellis arrives in Spain

Image: David Lammy/X

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