The British authorities are putting pressure on Ministry of Foreign Affairs So that Spain relaxes traffic controls for thousands of British citizens residing in Gibraltar, because they are not officially registered in the colony, and who as a result of… Britain's exit from the European Union They cannot pass through the portal without a justifiable reason. According to various sources consulted by this editorial team, the argument presented by the British is the alleged one An agreement is imminent Between the European Union and the United Kingdom would regulate the status of the rock within the 27. However, external border controls, which are not related Schengen AgreementExcept for citizens of the colony.
To enter the European Union, third-country nationals must justify the purpose of their visit, the terms and conditions of their intended stay, and have sufficient means of subsistence.
from January 1, 2021British nationals wishing to enter Spain, as with any national of a third country outside the European Union, must have a valid passport and comply with the requirements set out in the Schengen Borders Code, among which are the necessity of justifying both the purpose, conditions and time of Planned accommodation, in addition to the availability of sufficient means of subsistence. despite of Visa exemptThe length of your stay cannot exceed 90 days per 180 period, whether for a single visit or multiple visits.
Since the UK's exit from the European Union, this situation affects everyone in Gibraltar who is not listed as a resident, including thousands of military personnel stationed in the colony, many tourists arriving on cruise ships or planes and professionals who are temporarily working on the rock. This fact often causes many such people He stops at the gate Without the Spanish police authorities allowing them to cross in accordance with the aforementioned regulations, as they are an external border of the European Union. The fact that Spain allows Gibraltarians not to comply with these conditions represents, in practice, a An anomaly without regulatory protection Some that everyone turns a blind eye to.
Evidence about pressures on national police personnel from the UK was provided on 30 January by the Gibraltar Information website panoramatraditionally aligned with the positions he advocates Governor and Commander-in-Chief Gibraltar, i.e. representative of the British Crown. “Spain serves the Schengen area on request” (Spain serves Schengen a la carte), the above-mentioned post was metaphorically titled that day, which immediately stated that the Spanish government was offering an explanation Farida of European border law.
In an extensive article, the Ordinary compared the requirements required of Britons at the gate with those of Lax controls Which, for example, is enjoyed by those traveling from anywhere in the UK to France or Belgium. “No EU country in the Schengen area applies rules against British citizens in this way, and even Spain does not apply these rules at other points of entry.” Ports and airportsHe confirmed.
thesis panorama It's not new, but it ignores a fundamental issue: the EU and the UK have – since November 2019 – International treaty Which regulates their relations after Britain leaves the European Union. This agreement explicitly excludes everything related to the British colony, which will be subject to the agreement that has remained in the negotiation stage since October 2021.
Spanish police officers who provide their services in La Verja experience firsthand the pressures
Spanish police officers who provide their services in La Verja experience first-hand the pressures that exist as they exist The last link in the chain. Although there are no written instructions to apply the same traffic control system to Britons as to the inhabitants of Gibraltar, some agents, consulted by this editorial, admit that they have received hidden instructions in this regard. However, these suggestions have had little impact given that the sources consulted confirm that the National Police still requires passports and other supporting documents from all non-EU citizens.
It is clear that the situation was very present in the communications at the technical level between the delegations of the United Kingdom and Spain to demolish the fence and make way for the so-called “Co-Prosperity Zone.” When discussing future formulas for monitoring traffic through the port and airport of Gibraltar for non-EU citizens, the British side asked the Spanish police, despite being the guarantor of monitoring the external borders of the Union, to stand behind them. Glass screen It is opaque to the eyes of visitors, so that its presence is not visible.
suggestion or offer, “Distorted and unacceptable” In the eyes of the Spanish representatives who attended these meetings, this is a reflection of the perception on the other side of the negotiating table about the role that the national police should play.
