astera

Spain should have 100% control of the border, I can't believe there are any negotiations to be had on this issue.

You want to be in the Schengen area? Then the EU and in this case Spain should have full control. Don't agree with this? Then stay out of the Schengen area and stop bothering the EU.

Fredbargate

I couldn't care a less about being in schengen.
But please explain why you think any country should be in control of another country's airports.

astera

Being part of the Schengen zone makes everyone's lives a lot easier. But that zone is the gateway to 29 European nations and needs to be secure.

If Gib wants to be part of that area then anyone arriving in Gib via any means possible (airport, ship terminal, etc.) needs to go through the full Schengen border control. With Gib not being part of the EEA I assume that means Spain would handle the border checks.

You can always leave things as they currently are though if for some reason you cannot accept Spain handling that for you.

Lou71

It's increasingly looking like things will have to be left as they are but EES scanners will have to be installed at the border by October. This will mean that all non EU nationals will have to be hived off to a separate lane but EU nationals/residents and Gibraltarians should be able to cross more easily because they will not be held up by non EU people. The UK government should be made to pay for all the extra infrastructure.

Fred James

Why should the UK government pay for it? The Brits are not the only non-EU visitors to the EU (even if some people seem to think they are!).

astera

I agree entirely. The Gib government should have to pay 100%.

Fredbargate

Why should Gib or the UK pay for infrastructure required by a club they are not members of?

I see you have avoided answering about the airports

DLC

The answer is of course "because under this agreement Gibraltar will be a guest to Schengen and Spain will be held responsible if anyone who shouldn't gets through border control" which in this time of constant Russian meddling is something to be taken seriously. But by preemptively saying you don't care about Schengen you hope to make that answer invalid.

However 96% of Gibraltarians and resident British do care about Schengen so your views are not representive of Gibraltar as a whole.

Fredbargate

The 96% that you post adnauseam is now vastly reduced with many more taking my stance.
Something I see living here.
At the moment there is no agreement although Spain wrongly calls it's whish list an agreement.

astera

Because Gib is trying to become part of the Schengen zone.

I never avoided your question. I stated that Spain should be in charge of border control and that's it. You can run every other aspect of the airport as you wish.

Spain is right because in essence it will be expanding its border to cover Gibraltar.

Is all the whinging about this coming from Gib or the UK or both?

Fred James

The whinging always comes from Gibraltar. I get the impression that the UK doesn’t really care what happens to Gibraltar.

Fredbargate

Do I take it that you believe Spain does not want to be in charge of the airport?

Fredbargate

Whatever happened to moderators being neutral?

Fred James

I am no longer a mod, so I am now free to say what I think.

Lynn R

It is being reported today that significant progress has been made in the negotiations regarding Gibraltar's post Brexit status, including on control of the airport (but no details given about what that might consist of). David Cameron does seem to be making more headway than any of his many predecessors.

EU, Britain and Spain say significant progress made in talks on post-Brexit status of Gibraltar - ABC News (go.com)