The European Commission asked the Council of the European Union, on Tuesday 20 July, to give it a mandate to negotiate an agreement between the United Kingdom and the Territory of Gibraltar, as this British jurisdiction is not covered by the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement which came into force in January 2021.
The aim of these negotiations, requested by Spain, will be to remove “physical barriers to the movement of goods and people” and to contribute to the prosperity of the region, said the Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, after the meeting of the European College of Commissioners.
“By putting forward this draft mandate, we are honouring the political commitment we made to Spain to start the negotiations of a separate agreement between the EU and the UK on Gibraltar. This is a detailed mandate, which aims to have a positive impact for those living and working on either side of the border between Spain and Gibraltar, while protecting the integrity of the Schengen Area and the Single Market”, Maroš Šefčovič reacted in a statement.
The draft mandate includes rules establishing responsibility for asylum, return, visas, residence permits, as well as operational police cooperation and information exchange. Other measures concern land and air transport, the rights of cross-border workers, the environment, financial support and establishing a level playing field.
Link to the mandate: https://bit.ly/3Bm9DQm
Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland
In addition, on Monday 19 July, the Commission and the UK Government held their eighth meeting, by video conference, of the Specialised Committee on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Issues relating to the impact of customs requirements and plant and animal health checks for goods leaving Britain and remaining in Northern Ireland could not be resolved, the UK government said in a statement. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)