The United Kingdom and the European Union formally signed the Gibraltar Status Agreement today (14 July 2026) in Brussels, concluding a long-standing political uncertainty over the British overseas territory. The agreement — reached last year — aims to streamline border crossings between Gibraltar and Spain.
Key Provisions of the Treaty
Under the new arrangement, Gibraltar residents will be able to enter Spain using a residence card, without requiring passport stamps. Spanish citizens, in turn, will be permitted to cross into Gibraltar using only their national ID card issued by the Spanish government.
At Gibraltar’s airport, travellers will present their passports to border officials from both Gibraltar and Spain — a coordinated control system designed to maintain security while reducing delays. The UK also intends to apply a similar model for French police officers operating at London’s St Pancras International station, which serves Eurostar services to mainland Europe.
Historical Context
Gibraltar — a strategically vital enclave at the southern tip of Spain — has been under British sovereignty since the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of the Spanish Succession.
The signing ceremony was attended by European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič, UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, and Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.