In order to reach a border agreement with the EU regarding Gibraltar, which could either make or break his Brexit reset with Brussels, Keir Starmer faces a race against time.
Both the United Kingdom and the European Union have attempted to negotiate a post-Brexit solution for Gibraltar that maintains the open border between the territory and Spain since 2020.
Both residents of Gibraltar and Spanish citizens living in the neighboring region of Andalusia rely on an open border for economic reasons.
Gibraltar protects the rights of 15,000 registered EU citizens and allows them to work there.
At the same time, Gibraltar’s citizens, 96% of whom chose to remain in the EU, see border controls as a major issue.
A Gibraltar government official told iNews, “We have been taken out of the EU against our will and had no say in the process.”
However, as a significant alteration to border protocols approaches, the temporary ad hoc system that continues to permit unrestricted movement between the British Overseas Territory and Spain may be put at risk.
A brand-new initiative from the EU goes into effect on November 10 and will tighten restrictions on people entering the borderless Schengen area of the EU.
Citizens entering the Schengen region will be required to register their biometric information, such as a photograph or fingerprint, through the Entry/Exit System (EES).
There is a lot of pressure on the British Prime Minister to stop this from happening, and if he doesn’t, it could hurt his reputation at home and with the EU.
The United Kingdom and the European Union both agree that Gibraltar and Spain’s sovereign integrity should be respected and that the border between the two should remain open.
The UK likewise acknowledges that the Schengen region should be safeguarded, as it looks for an arrangement with Brussels. Both sides agree that Gibraltar joining the Schengen area and having border controls carried out inside the territory at the airport is the solution to the issue.
Spain, on the other hand, insists that its border guards should be in charge of policing immigration, while London wants those checks to be done by Frontex, the EU border agency.
Given Madrid’s sovereignty claims over a portion of the territory, however, this is unacceptable for both Gibraltar’s government and Downing Street.
Further confusing any arrangement is the issue of Tank, which isn’t charged in Gibraltar.
Spain contends that this provides the British Overseas Territory with an unfair economic advantage and that any border or other agreement should be contingent on Gibraltar’s compliance with EU tax regulations.
Sir Keir Starmer is in grave danger and will have to prove his political acumen.
His hopes of reestablishing relations and strengthening ties with the EU will be seriously dented if he is unable to reach an agreement with Brussels.
However, he is likely to face a fierce backlash from the Tories and Brexiteers if it is perceived that he is making too many concessions in order to reach an agreement.
