Border controls between Spain and Gibraltar have been eliminated, and the iron gates erected in 1908 have been removed. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
The post-Brexit agreement came into effect at midnight on July 15, ending the last frontier fence in Western Europe. It eliminates border checks for residents, tourists, and the thousands of Spanish workers who cross into the British overseas territory daily.
The treaty was signed in Brussels on July 14, concluding more than four years of negotiations between the UK, Spain, Gibraltar, and the EU after Britain's departure from the bloc. It removes border and customs controls to create a fluid frontier and gives Spain responsibility for Schengen controls at Gibraltar's airport and port.
Gibraltar was ceded to the British crown under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The territory is home to about 40,000 people and relies heavily on the 15,000 Spanish workers who cross daily. Under the previous system, long rush-hour queues formed at the border, especially during periods of heightened tension between Madrid and London.
Spain's foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, hailed the deal as a "historic agreement." "We have just put an end to a long period of discord and opened the door to a new era of coexistence for two populations that lived apart and are now joining hands, three centuries later," he said.
Gibraltar's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, said the treaty does not affect the territory's British sovereignty. "We have reached this moment without surrendering who we are, without compromising our British sovereignty and without weakening the constitutional protections that define Gibraltar," he stated.
The UK minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty, called the signing "a very special moment," while European commissioner Maroš Šefčovič toasted "shared prosperity and no more barrier for the 15,000 people crossing between Spain and Gibraltar daily."
Under the deal, Gibraltar will become a de facto part of the EU's Schengen free-movement area. Britons flying into the territory will have to pass through the bloc's new entry/exit system (EES), which has caused long queues at some airports. Picardo expressed concern that similar queues could happen.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to the border town of La Línea de la Concepción on July 15 to witness the removal of the last section of the border fence.
Spain has long sought the return of its lost territory. The Brexit referendum in June 2016 prompted the conservative Spanish government to suggest joint sovereignty. The suggestion was rebuffed by Gibraltar and London. Over 96.6% of Gibraltar residents voted to remain part of the EU.
In 1969, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco ordered the land border closed after Gibraltar approved a new constitution. Families were separated, and thousands of Spaniards lost their jobs overnight. The border did not reopen until 1982.