The European Commission and the United Kingdom signed on Tuesday the agreement related to Gibraltar, which will enter into provisional application on July 15, 2026, after more than four years of negotiations.
The treaty completes the legal framework for relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom following the British exit from the community bloc. Gibraltar had been excluded from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed in 2020 and in effect since 2021, so its relationship with the EU remained pending specific regulation.
The main objective of the new framework is to provide legal certainty and stability to citizens, workers, and businesses in the Strait area. The agreement will regulate aspects related to the mobility of people, border controls, the movement of goods, and cooperation between Spanish and Gibraltarian authorities.
The application of the text must preserve the functioning of the Schengen area, the European single market, and the customs union. These guarantees have been a central part of the negotiations developed between Brussels, Madrid, London, and Gibraltar.
The agreement aims to facilitate the daily lives of the thousands of workers who cross the Fence every day and to offer a stable framework for social and economic relations between Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar. It will also define the procedures that will govern controls and cross-border operations from its provisional application.
The signing comes after the Council of the European Union adopted on July 1 the proposal regarding the signing and provisional application of the agreement. The document has been sent to the European Parliament for its consent in accordance with community treaties.
Once the green light from the Eurochamber is obtained, the Council will be able to adopt the final decision for the conclusion of the agreement. Until then, its provisions will begin to be applied provisionally from July 15.
The final text originated from the political agreement reached in June 2025 between European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares, then British Foreign Minister David Lammy, and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
That understanding allowed for the establishment of the political principles upon which the treaty has been developed. Subsequently, the European Commission presented its proposals for the signing, provisional application, and conclusion of the agreement in February 2026.
The CEC demands specific economic measures for the Campo de Gibraltar
The Confederation of Companies of the province of Cádiz has made a first positive assessment of the signing, considering that it opens a period of greater institutional, economic, and social stability after years of uncertainty.
The president of the CEC, José Andrés Santos, has pointed out that the agreement allows for a new phase in the relations between Gibraltar and its surroundings. He has also indicated that negotiations of this nature have required concessions from the different participants.
The business organization differentiates, however, between the social effects of the treaty and its economic consequences. In social terms, it considers that the new framework will facilitate the mobility of people and provide certainty to the thousands of workers who maintain a daily relationship with Gibraltar.
The assessment is more cautious from a business perspective. The CEC maintains that the agreement represents a relevant step but is insufficient to meet the needs for competitiveness, productive diversification, and economic development that the Campo de Gibraltar maintains.
The business community believes that the signing should be interpreted as the beginning of the practical implementation of the agreed measures. From now on, companies will need to verify how the provisions of the treaty are applied to administrative procedures, controls, labor mobility, and the movement of goods.
The CEC believes that the productive fabric needs legal certainty, clear rules, and agile procedures that facilitate economic activity. The organization warns that the outcome of the agreement will largely depend on whether its application does not create new administrative burdens for companies and workers.
The Confederation acknowledges that the new framework could favor investment, business cooperation, and economic exchanges between Gibraltar and the municipalities of the region. However, it believes that the treaty alone will not solve the structural problems of the territory.
In this context, the business community has called for the creation of a Special Economic Zone for the Campo de Gibraltar. The proposal, promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Campo de Gibraltar and supported by various economic agents, suggests establishing specific conditions to attract investment, generate stable employment, and improve the region's competitive capacity.
The CEC holds that it is up to the Government of Spain to study this figure, referencing other territories of the European Union that have differentiated economic instruments.
The organization believes that the Special Economic Zone could facilitate the implementation of projects related to logistics, industry, transportation, services, international trade, and the maritime economy.
José Andrés Santos has pointed out that the final assessment should be made based on the results generated by the new framework. The CEC will analyze its impact on investment, labor mobility, business cooperation, and competitiveness in the Campo de Gibraltar.
The Confederation has also expressed its willingness to collaborate with administrations and social and economic agents during the application phase, with the aim that the effects of the treaty reach the entire productive fabric of the province of Cádiz.
