The Government of Gibraltar announced today that it will answer all public questions about the forthcoming EU–UK Agreement concerning Gibraltar by 1 September, after receiving over 1,000 enquiries. In its official statement issued this Friday, the Gibraltar Executive underlined that, although a political deal was reached on 11 June, the full legal text of the treaty is still being finalized and remains under active review.
The Government expressed regret at being unable to respond by the initially planned deadline of 25 July, citing both the high volume of submissions and “substantial ongoing work” on the draft agreement. It stressed that it prefers to take extra time to provide “meaningful, well-founded answers” based on the version of the treaty that will soon be definitive.
“We thank everyone who sent in their questions and want to ensure that each response is clear and properly grounded in the final text, so we need this additional time through early September,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
The statement recalls that on 11 June in Brussels, EU representatives (Commissioner Maroš Šef?ovi? and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares), the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Picardo secured a political agreement on the treaty’s main elements. However, it makes clear that this political accord “does not equate to the complete legal text,” which is still being drafted:
Movement of people: Dual Gibraltar/Schengen border checks at Gibraltar port and airport, removal of daily barriers at the land crossing - final wording pending.
Movement of goods: Customs union principles and elimination of inspections - awaiting detailed clauses.
Indirect taxation: Guidelines on duties (e.g., tobacco) to prevent market distortions - under drafting.
Level playing field: Commitments on state aid, taxation, environment, labour standards, and anti–money laundering - text under revision.
Social provisions: Rights of cross?border workers and social security coordination - draft clauses in development.
Cohesion mechanism: Funding arrangements for regional training and employment - parameters to be defined.
The Government stressed that all these measures are being incorporated into a treaty text that “may undergo technical adjustments” until signature and ratification, without altering the agreed political framework.
Gibraltar’s Executive said that EU and UK negotiating teams are working intensively on the full legal draft, circulating and reviewing successive versions “in a very constructive spirit.” Once the text is finalized, both sides will begin their internal procedures for signature and ratification.
In the meantime, those who submitted questions can expect responses starting next week and, in all events, by 1 September. The Government anticipates that the final treaty will deliver “legal certainty, stability, and prosperity” for Gibraltar and the wider region.
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