After the UK officially terminated its membership in the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020, the agreement reached between the EU and the UK regarding Gibraltar, which is the mainland issue, was signed today.
At the agreement signed by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and British Minister of State for Europe Stephen Doughty at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and Gibraltar Autonomous Government Prime Minister Fabian Picardo were also present.
The prominent articles of the agreement, which was reached after the harsh negotiations after Brexit and will come into force at midnight, were "the removal of the border line separating British territory from Spain, the end of all physical obstacles to the movement of people and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, and the full assurance of the Schengen border uncontrolled crossing area, the EU Single Market and the EU Customs Union."
All member states, including Spain, had already ratified the legal texts forming the agreement last April.
When Gibraltar, which has been a problematic place between England and Spain throughout history, enacted its own constitution on May 30, 1969 and clearly stated its desire to remain under British sovereignty, dictator Francisco Franco, the head of state in Spain at the time, responded by completely closing the border gate on June 8 of the same year.
This decision, in which Franco even cut off telephone connections with Gibraltar, was terminated in February 1985 after being implemented for 15 years, and the border gate was reopened.
With the signatures signed today in Brussels, Gibraltar has completely dismantled its border with Spain and has actually moved its borders to its port and airport.
More than 15,500 people are expected to benefit from this change, especially Spanish citizens who work in Gibraltar and currently face endless queues when entering and exiting the region.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will go to Gibraltar tomorrow and attend the ceremony regarding the removal of the border line.
The sovereignty of the Gibraltar Autonomous Region in the south of Spain was transferred to England by Spain with the Treaty of Utrecht dated 1713.
In the referendum held in Gibraltar in 1967, Gibraltarians reiterated their loyalty to England with a huge vote of 96 percent.
However, in 1973, when the United Kingdom entered the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union, Gibraltar was also included in the Community as a European territory whose foreign affairs depend on the United Kingdom.
In the referendum held on the peninsula in 2002, 98.97 percent of Gibraltarians opposed the "joint sovereignty" status reached between England and Spain and once again showed their loyalty to England.
Negotiations between the UK, Spain and the EU for Gibraltar, which experienced a status crisis after the UK ceased to be an EU member with Brexit on January 31, 2020, were concluded on June 11, 2025. With today's signature, following the approval of the parliaments of all parties, the agreement will enter into force as of July 15, 2026.