Gibraltar
Nov 13th 2014 | 4:44 am
#2071
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 26,724
Re: Gibraltar
I find that hard to believe, having watched a couple of the Gib TV progs the apes were among the more intelligent of those featured.
Nov 13th 2014 | 8:45 am
#2072
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
EC refuses to publish letter sent to Spain with frontier recommendations
Date: 13 November 2014
The European Commission has again refused to publish the letter it sent to the Spanish Government in July with its frontier recommendations. A first "access to documents" request by Conservative MEP for Gibraltar Ashley Fox was turned down last month and now the EC has said "no" to his second request too. Mr. Fox has condemned the EC's stance.
Taking a leaf out of Sir Graham Watson's book, Ashley Fox filed an official "Access to Documents" request to oblige the EC to publish the recommendations it made to Spain following its second frontier visit in July. Sir Graham, while still an MEP, managed to persuade the Commission to release the letter that followed its first visit in September 2013, and that Madrid had declined to make public .
Mr Fox, however, was not so successful, with the EC telling him publication was not in the public interest. Despite urging it to reconsider, the Commission has maintained its position. It official reason is that:
"Disclosure would carry a real and non-hypothetical risk of leading to a sub-optimal outcome of the dialogue with the member States and, hence, to negative impacts for the interests of the general public".
It may sound lofty, but it hasn't impressed Ashley Fox who says he's appalled that the Commission should believe that secrecy is in the public interest. He adds that after enduring 18 months of victimisation at the hands of a fellow EU member state, the People of Gibraltar will have little sympathy for the EC's sensitivities.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Date: 13 November 2014
The European Commission has again refused to publish the letter it sent to the Spanish Government in July with its frontier recommendations. A first "access to documents" request by Conservative MEP for Gibraltar Ashley Fox was turned down last month and now the EC has said "no" to his second request too. Mr. Fox has condemned the EC's stance.
Taking a leaf out of Sir Graham Watson's book, Ashley Fox filed an official "Access to Documents" request to oblige the EC to publish the recommendations it made to Spain following its second frontier visit in July. Sir Graham, while still an MEP, managed to persuade the Commission to release the letter that followed its first visit in September 2013, and that Madrid had declined to make public .
Mr Fox, however, was not so successful, with the EC telling him publication was not in the public interest. Despite urging it to reconsider, the Commission has maintained its position. It official reason is that:
"Disclosure would carry a real and non-hypothetical risk of leading to a sub-optimal outcome of the dialogue with the member States and, hence, to negative impacts for the interests of the general public".
It may sound lofty, but it hasn't impressed Ashley Fox who says he's appalled that the Commission should believe that secrecy is in the public interest. He adds that after enduring 18 months of victimisation at the hands of a fellow EU member state, the People of Gibraltar will have little sympathy for the EC's sensitivities.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Nov 13th 2014 | 11:47 am
#2073
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,833
From: (Ex Liguria)
Re: Gibraltar
Obviously I was watching the wrong van or more likely the biased reporting of the TV program which you saw too in a Foreign ( To Me) language.
Nov 13th 2014 | 7:37 pm
#2074
Banned
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 26,724
Re: Gibraltar
EC refuses to publish letter sent to Spain with frontier recommendations
Date: 13 November 2014
The European Commission has again refused to publish the letter it sent to the Spanish Government in July with its frontier recommendations. A first "access to documents" request by Conservative MEP for Gibraltar Ashley Fox was turned down last month and now the EC has said "no" to his second request too. Mr. Fox has condemned the EC's stance.
Taking a leaf out of Sir Graham Watson's book, Ashley Fox filed an official "Access to Documents" request to oblige the EC to publish the recommendations it made to Spain following its second frontier visit in July. Sir Graham, while still an MEP, managed to persuade the Commission to release the letter that followed its first visit in September 2013, and that Madrid had declined to make public .
Mr Fox, however, was not so successful, with the EC telling him publication was not in the public interest. Despite urging it to reconsider, the Commission has maintained its position. It official reason is that:
"Disclosure would carry a real and non-hypothetical risk of leading to a sub-optimal outcome of the dialogue with the member States and, hence, to negative impacts for the interests of the general public".
It may sound lofty, but it hasn't impressed Ashley Fox who says he's appalled that the Commission should believe that secrecy is in the public interest. He adds that after enduring 18 months of victimisation at the hands of a fellow EU member state, the People of Gibraltar will have little sympathy for the EC's sensitivities.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Date: 13 November 2014
The European Commission has again refused to publish the letter it sent to the Spanish Government in July with its frontier recommendations. A first "access to documents" request by Conservative MEP for Gibraltar Ashley Fox was turned down last month and now the EC has said "no" to his second request too. Mr. Fox has condemned the EC's stance.
Taking a leaf out of Sir Graham Watson's book, Ashley Fox filed an official "Access to Documents" request to oblige the EC to publish the recommendations it made to Spain following its second frontier visit in July. Sir Graham, while still an MEP, managed to persuade the Commission to release the letter that followed its first visit in September 2013, and that Madrid had declined to make public .
Mr Fox, however, was not so successful, with the EC telling him publication was not in the public interest. Despite urging it to reconsider, the Commission has maintained its position. It official reason is that:
"Disclosure would carry a real and non-hypothetical risk of leading to a sub-optimal outcome of the dialogue with the member States and, hence, to negative impacts for the interests of the general public".
It may sound lofty, but it hasn't impressed Ashley Fox who says he's appalled that the Commission should believe that secrecy is in the public interest. He adds that after enduring 18 months of victimisation at the hands of a fellow EU member state, the People of Gibraltar will have little sympathy for the EC's sensitivities.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Nov 16th 2014 | 8:53 pm
#2075
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Deadline set as European Commission chastises Spain over failure to ease border queues
by Dominique Searle
In a stinging letter the European Commission has criticised Spain and given it the deadline of summer 2015 for the completion of its works at the frontier that are supposed to respond to the “unjustified†delays witnessed by a team of EU experts in September 2013. The move comes in a letter recently sent to the Madrid Government which also sets out new steps its expects to be taken to ease flow.
It states that checks by the Spanish authorities on travellers should be “significantly reduced†and that Spain should
work with the Gibraltar border authorities in relation to frontier reforms.
The letter also details that the Commission last July offered to act as a conduit for two way information exchanges between Spain and Gibraltar on the basis of each side approving what information can be passed on.
The move follows a second visit by EU Commission experts to the frontier last July (2014) and makes clear that it is concerned at the continued flow of complaints they have received of which they give five hour queues between July 11-15 as an example.
Though the Commission welcomes Spain’s commitment to act it says that based on the information Spain provided to date on how it intends to implement the Commission recommendations it urges Spain to take the additional measures which it lists but “without delay†and “in a way which avoids further hindrance to traffic.†It recalls that the Commission “expects the works allowing fluid border crossings to be finalised by the summer of 2015 at the latest.â€
The EU Commission has asked for monthly reports from Spain and documentation promising to handle these in a sensitive and confidential way.
The additional measures set out by the Commission for Spain to act upon are set out as “essential†for the improvement at the border and include criticism of 100% checks on cars.
To Spain’s assertion that it based its controls on risk assessment and randomness the Commission states, in relation to cars entering Spain:
“During the visit Spain presented an example of timeslots for intensified checks during which, according to your authorities 20% to 50% of vehicles are checked. Your authorities also advised that during short periods of time (5 to 15 minutes), 100% of vehicles are checked.â€
“These do not seem to correspond to the fine tuning of the risk profiling said to be implemented since October 2013, nor does it seem to be in line with the principle of proportionate checks and the need and the need to avoid excessive waiting times for travellers.â€
In fact the Commission says the time slots should be “significantly reducedâ€. This is having already considered that checks should be proportionate to the cases of irregularities found such as administrative offences or crimes related to tobacco smuggling and the number of seizures.
The Commission says that it was told that checks in the green lane remain “exceptional†and, making the assumption that this is correct, says that is the way they should be continued. ( Spanish lies )
Going further the Commission says that on cars exiting Spain the checks should be “fundamentally reduced or abolished.†It adds that this was a recommendation already included in the Commission’s letter to Spain of November 15 2013 “and appears not to have been implemented.â€
The Commission presses Spain to provide regular detailed information on what it is doing and its analysis as well as monthly statistics on checks on both vehicles and pedestrians in both directions. The letter presses also for the exchange of information on tobacco smuggling and says that it believes that “the absence of dialogue considerably undermines the capacity of both authorities (UK and Spain) to tackle the tobacco smuggling problem.â€
On dealing with the temporary measures and works the Commission “invites Spain to inform the Gibraltar authorities operating directly at the crossing point of the planned temporary measures, including the details and full plans, as soon as possible and to involve them to the extent possible during the implementation thereof.â€
The Commission wants details from Spain on the temporary arrangements and points out the possibility of joint passport and customs checks saying these would be overall more efficient and allow better risk assessment.
And the Commission says that for cars driving into Spain there should on arriving be three lanes, not two as Madrid proposed, i.e. one red and two green, instead of one of each. ( there is only one lane open, the green lane in which regularly cars are searched blocking the lane completely )
To avoid excessive speed the Commission rejects plans for a roundabout and says that electronic barriers and bumps could be used instead.
Meanwhile it is understood that the Commission has now made, as yet undisclosed, further recommendations to UK in relation to fighting tobacco smuggling.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
by Dominique Searle
In a stinging letter the European Commission has criticised Spain and given it the deadline of summer 2015 for the completion of its works at the frontier that are supposed to respond to the “unjustified†delays witnessed by a team of EU experts in September 2013. The move comes in a letter recently sent to the Madrid Government which also sets out new steps its expects to be taken to ease flow.
It states that checks by the Spanish authorities on travellers should be “significantly reduced†and that Spain should
work with the Gibraltar border authorities in relation to frontier reforms.
The letter also details that the Commission last July offered to act as a conduit for two way information exchanges between Spain and Gibraltar on the basis of each side approving what information can be passed on.
The move follows a second visit by EU Commission experts to the frontier last July (2014) and makes clear that it is concerned at the continued flow of complaints they have received of which they give five hour queues between July 11-15 as an example.
Though the Commission welcomes Spain’s commitment to act it says that based on the information Spain provided to date on how it intends to implement the Commission recommendations it urges Spain to take the additional measures which it lists but “without delay†and “in a way which avoids further hindrance to traffic.†It recalls that the Commission “expects the works allowing fluid border crossings to be finalised by the summer of 2015 at the latest.â€
The EU Commission has asked for monthly reports from Spain and documentation promising to handle these in a sensitive and confidential way.
The additional measures set out by the Commission for Spain to act upon are set out as “essential†for the improvement at the border and include criticism of 100% checks on cars.
To Spain’s assertion that it based its controls on risk assessment and randomness the Commission states, in relation to cars entering Spain:
“During the visit Spain presented an example of timeslots for intensified checks during which, according to your authorities 20% to 50% of vehicles are checked. Your authorities also advised that during short periods of time (5 to 15 minutes), 100% of vehicles are checked.â€
“These do not seem to correspond to the fine tuning of the risk profiling said to be implemented since October 2013, nor does it seem to be in line with the principle of proportionate checks and the need and the need to avoid excessive waiting times for travellers.â€
In fact the Commission says the time slots should be “significantly reducedâ€. This is having already considered that checks should be proportionate to the cases of irregularities found such as administrative offences or crimes related to tobacco smuggling and the number of seizures.
The Commission says that it was told that checks in the green lane remain “exceptional†and, making the assumption that this is correct, says that is the way they should be continued. ( Spanish lies )
Going further the Commission says that on cars exiting Spain the checks should be “fundamentally reduced or abolished.†It adds that this was a recommendation already included in the Commission’s letter to Spain of November 15 2013 “and appears not to have been implemented.â€
The Commission presses Spain to provide regular detailed information on what it is doing and its analysis as well as monthly statistics on checks on both vehicles and pedestrians in both directions. The letter presses also for the exchange of information on tobacco smuggling and says that it believes that “the absence of dialogue considerably undermines the capacity of both authorities (UK and Spain) to tackle the tobacco smuggling problem.â€
On dealing with the temporary measures and works the Commission “invites Spain to inform the Gibraltar authorities operating directly at the crossing point of the planned temporary measures, including the details and full plans, as soon as possible and to involve them to the extent possible during the implementation thereof.â€
The Commission wants details from Spain on the temporary arrangements and points out the possibility of joint passport and customs checks saying these would be overall more efficient and allow better risk assessment.
And the Commission says that for cars driving into Spain there should on arriving be three lanes, not two as Madrid proposed, i.e. one red and two green, instead of one of each. ( there is only one lane open, the green lane in which regularly cars are searched blocking the lane completely )
To avoid excessive speed the Commission rejects plans for a roundabout and says that electronic barriers and bumps could be used instead.
Meanwhile it is understood that the Commission has now made, as yet undisclosed, further recommendations to UK in relation to fighting tobacco smuggling.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
Nov 17th 2014 | 8:14 am
#2076
Thread Starter
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Gibraltarian professor leading UN Report on future of sustainable development
Date: 17 November 2014
Gibraltar born Professor Daniella Tilbury is leading a UN Report on the future of sustainable development. The Report was launched at the opening of a UN World Conference on that very subject in Nagoya, Japan this month.
Professor Tilbury was invited to chair the UN’s Global Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group on sustainable development in 2005 and has played a leading role drafting the evaluation framework, overseeing the collection of evidence and contributing to the writing of the report.
More recently she’s been advising the Gibraltar Government on establishing the Gibraltar University.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Date: 17 November 2014
Gibraltar born Professor Daniella Tilbury is leading a UN Report on the future of sustainable development. The Report was launched at the opening of a UN World Conference on that very subject in Nagoya, Japan this month.
Professor Tilbury was invited to chair the UN’s Global Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group on sustainable development in 2005 and has played a leading role drafting the evaluation framework, overseeing the collection of evidence and contributing to the writing of the report.
More recently she’s been advising the Gibraltar Government on establishing the Gibraltar University.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Nov 18th 2014 | 3:00 am
#2077
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Gibraltar Government 'vindicated' by Commission letter to Spain, says Picardo
Date: 18 November 2014
The Chief Minister says The Gibraltar and UK Governments are absolutely vindicated in their approach to dealing with Spain’s border harassment. Reacting to the European Commission’s letter to Spain, which was sent last July but came to light on Monday, Fabian Picardo says he always maintained that fighting Gibraltar’s cause in Europe was a marathon, not a sprint, and believes we are now seeing results.
Speaking to GBC, Mr Picardo said he now realises why Spain didn’t want to publish the letter sent to it. He said the Commission hasn’t let Gibraltar down, nor has it let Spain off the hook.
Mr Picardo says it’s obvious that following that letter, sent to Spain last July, Spain is now clearly acting in a way designed to comply with the Commission’s recommendations, and we are now seeing works at the frontier to that effect. He also believes that, barring one or two incidents, we haven’t seen huge queues forming at the frontier compared to pre-July queues.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Date: 18 November 2014
The Chief Minister says The Gibraltar and UK Governments are absolutely vindicated in their approach to dealing with Spain’s border harassment. Reacting to the European Commission’s letter to Spain, which was sent last July but came to light on Monday, Fabian Picardo says he always maintained that fighting Gibraltar’s cause in Europe was a marathon, not a sprint, and believes we are now seeing results.
Speaking to GBC, Mr Picardo said he now realises why Spain didn’t want to publish the letter sent to it. He said the Commission hasn’t let Gibraltar down, nor has it let Spain off the hook.
Mr Picardo says it’s obvious that following that letter, sent to Spain last July, Spain is now clearly acting in a way designed to comply with the Commission’s recommendations, and we are now seeing works at the frontier to that effect. He also believes that, barring one or two incidents, we haven’t seen huge queues forming at the frontier compared to pre-July queues.
GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
Nov 18th 2014 | 7:22 pm
#2078
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Govt says border should be ‘shining example’
The Gibraltar Government has welcomed the tough message delivered by the European Commission to Spain in its latest letter on border controls, details of which were published earlier this week by this newspaper.
In a statement, No 6 Convent Place said the Commission’s message would also be welcomed by the thousands of EU nationals from different countries who live in Spain and work in Gibraltar and cross the frontier every day.
“The irony is that this number includes thousands of Spanish workers on whom Spain has inflicted these lengthy and unnecessary delays as well,†it said.
“Cross-border trade between Gibraltar and the Spanish hinterland has been damaged by the actions of the Spanish central Government and the quality of life of thousands of ordinary people has been disrupted.â€
“The Gibraltar Government considers that the border should become a shining example of the European principle of freedom of movement of EU nationals and others through an internal border of the European Union.â€
“It is deeply regrettable that Madrid does not operate it in this way.â€
The government said it had requested a permanent EU monitoring mission at the border in order to ensure that ordinary people were not made to suffer through the creation of unnecessary delays. It said it would continue to send monthly information reports containing detailed evidence to the European Commission on this matter.
In its letter to Spain, the Commission expressed concern about the continued number of complaints and the lack of progress on the Spanish side in implementation of its experts’ recommendations for improved flow. It said checks at the border leading to five-hour queues were disproportionate and called on Spanish authorities to ensure searches of 20% to 50% of vehicles crossing should be exceptional.
It made a number of additional recommendations to Spain and said it works on the Spanish side to be completed by next summer.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
The Gibraltar Government has welcomed the tough message delivered by the European Commission to Spain in its latest letter on border controls, details of which were published earlier this week by this newspaper.
In a statement, No 6 Convent Place said the Commission’s message would also be welcomed by the thousands of EU nationals from different countries who live in Spain and work in Gibraltar and cross the frontier every day.
“The irony is that this number includes thousands of Spanish workers on whom Spain has inflicted these lengthy and unnecessary delays as well,†it said.
“Cross-border trade between Gibraltar and the Spanish hinterland has been damaged by the actions of the Spanish central Government and the quality of life of thousands of ordinary people has been disrupted.â€
“The Gibraltar Government considers that the border should become a shining example of the European principle of freedom of movement of EU nationals and others through an internal border of the European Union.â€
“It is deeply regrettable that Madrid does not operate it in this way.â€
The government said it had requested a permanent EU monitoring mission at the border in order to ensure that ordinary people were not made to suffer through the creation of unnecessary delays. It said it would continue to send monthly information reports containing detailed evidence to the European Commission on this matter.
In its letter to Spain, the Commission expressed concern about the continued number of complaints and the lack of progress on the Spanish side in implementation of its experts’ recommendations for improved flow. It said checks at the border leading to five-hour queues were disproportionate and called on Spanish authorities to ensure searches of 20% to 50% of vehicles crossing should be exceptional.
It made a number of additional recommendations to Spain and said it works on the Spanish side to be completed by next summer.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
Nov 21st 2014 | 1:29 am
#2079
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
UK-Spain dispute over Gibraltar threatens European skies reform
ReutersBy By Julia Fioretti | Reuters
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The dispute between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar threatens to hold up European Union plans to merge national air corridors, diplomats say.
EU member states are trying to reach agreement on the Single European Sky scheme, intended to complete the integration of some of the world's most crowded airways, cutting costs and CO2 emissions.
But a wrangle over the sovereignty of the isthmus that connects the British territory of Gibraltar to Spain could delay a deal even if all other issues are agreed upon, EU diplomats said.
Spain wants Gibraltar airport, which sits on the disputed land, to be excluded from EU aviation law until the debate is resolved.
Britain says that under the 2006 Cordoba agreement between London, Madrid and the Gibraltarian government, Spain agreed to stop seeking the exclusion of Gibraltar airport from EU aviation measures.
"We cannot accept a return to the pre-2006 practise of suspending Gibraltar Airport from EU aviation measures," said a spokesman for Britain's foreign office.
Spain claims the whole of Gibraltar, but views the isthmus as a distinct question. According to Spanish diplomatic sources, it was not included in the treaty ceding Gibraltar to Britain three centuries ago, so has always been Spanish territory.
The stand-off puts Italy, which holds the rotating European presidency, in the position of having to try to find a compromise.
Under the current air corridor system, responsibility for airspace belongs to each country, which usually manages its flight paths and charges navigation and terminal fees, estimated by the Eurocontrol air traffic agency at some 8 billion euros a year.
Under the reform proposal, airspace would be arranged in transnational "blocks" in what is seen as the most radical shake-up of Europe's aviation for decades.
Gibraltar, ceded to Britain in 1713, has been an increasing source of diplomatic tension since the current Spanish government took office in 2011.
"Spain is trying to find a solution with Britain but until this is resolved EU rules should not apply to Gibraltar airport," said a Spanish diplomatic source.
It is unlikely that either Spain or Britain could block the aviation proposals, but officials in Brussels are wary of overruling a member state on an issue of national sovereignty.
"If the choice is forced one state will be very angry," said one EU diplomat.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-spain-d...2.html#WH6KevF
ReutersBy By Julia Fioretti | Reuters
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The dispute between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar threatens to hold up European Union plans to merge national air corridors, diplomats say.
EU member states are trying to reach agreement on the Single European Sky scheme, intended to complete the integration of some of the world's most crowded airways, cutting costs and CO2 emissions.
But a wrangle over the sovereignty of the isthmus that connects the British territory of Gibraltar to Spain could delay a deal even if all other issues are agreed upon, EU diplomats said.
Spain wants Gibraltar airport, which sits on the disputed land, to be excluded from EU aviation law until the debate is resolved.
Britain says that under the 2006 Cordoba agreement between London, Madrid and the Gibraltarian government, Spain agreed to stop seeking the exclusion of Gibraltar airport from EU aviation measures.
"We cannot accept a return to the pre-2006 practise of suspending Gibraltar Airport from EU aviation measures," said a spokesman for Britain's foreign office.
Spain claims the whole of Gibraltar, but views the isthmus as a distinct question. According to Spanish diplomatic sources, it was not included in the treaty ceding Gibraltar to Britain three centuries ago, so has always been Spanish territory.
The stand-off puts Italy, which holds the rotating European presidency, in the position of having to try to find a compromise.
Under the current air corridor system, responsibility for airspace belongs to each country, which usually manages its flight paths and charges navigation and terminal fees, estimated by the Eurocontrol air traffic agency at some 8 billion euros a year.
Under the reform proposal, airspace would be arranged in transnational "blocks" in what is seen as the most radical shake-up of Europe's aviation for decades.
Gibraltar, ceded to Britain in 1713, has been an increasing source of diplomatic tension since the current Spanish government took office in 2011.
"Spain is trying to find a solution with Britain but until this is resolved EU rules should not apply to Gibraltar airport," said a Spanish diplomatic source.
It is unlikely that either Spain or Britain could block the aviation proposals, but officials in Brussels are wary of overruling a member state on an issue of national sovereignty.
"If the choice is forced one state will be very angry," said one EU diplomat.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-spain-d...2.html#WH6KevF
Nov 23rd 2014 | 7:23 pm
#2080
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Gibraltar: Spain Envoy Summoned Over 'Incursion'
Good, there was a fair bit of activity last night including what I believe was an attempt at fishing off the South Mole but that didn't last long. But I also saw the GC heading to the East side which is out of my view, along with a lot of local law boat movements, which I believe is the activity reported by Sky.
The survey vessel was reported on the lunchtime news, but nothing in print here yet. That is the one that has lead to the summons.
Earlier in the day The Spanish warship Tarifa is pictured above as it sailed through British Gibraltar territorial waters yesterday.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
This has been classified as an act of innocent passage. I am however under the impression that armed vessels have to request passage regardless. Certainly it is polite to do so.
Good, there was a fair bit of activity last night including what I believe was an attempt at fishing off the South Mole but that didn't last long. But I also saw the GC heading to the East side which is out of my view, along with a lot of local law boat movements, which I believe is the activity reported by Sky.
The survey vessel was reported on the lunchtime news, but nothing in print here yet. That is the one that has lead to the summons.
Earlier in the day The Spanish warship Tarifa is pictured above as it sailed through British Gibraltar territorial waters yesterday.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
This has been classified as an act of innocent passage. I am however under the impression that armed vessels have to request passage regardless. Certainly it is polite to do so.
After Spanish provocation, Govt commissions expert to define ‘innocent passage’ at sea
A world legal expert on the law of the sea is to be engaged by the Gibraltar Government to probe the concept of ‘innocent passage’ as a concept of international law. The concept is regularly cited in relation to Spanish warships and Guardia Civil vessels when they pass through British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, usually when they do not engage in any other activity.
The Government said last night that it has commissioned a legal opinion on the definition of innocent passage “given the discussions relating to the procedure which is used at present to categorise the entry into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters of foreign state vessels.â€
The Government points out that UNCLOS Article 18(1) says that passage includes traversing the territorial sea without entering internal waters, or proceeding to or from internal waters. This passage “shall be continuous and expeditiousâ€.
Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801
Nov 26th 2014 | 9:18 pm
#2081
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Long frontier queues described in Spain as ‘cruel and unnecessary’
Talking Point
There were long frontier queues on Tuesday evening, which has led to much criticism in La Linea in particular.
The queues, said to be of 2 hours duration on the way into Spain, have been described as 'cruel, totally unnecessary and capricious' by the La Linea workers association Ascteg and the Humanitarian Frontier.
A Spanish worker said that he was on his way across the frontier suffeRing from an injury to his hand, and eager to reach the La Linea hospital at the earliest, when he was faced with the added misery of the frontier queues.
A woman also told a Campo radio that she was on her way to a funeral, but imagine the problem faced when encountered with such a long delays.
Ascteg said it was shameful that the Spanish government did not comply with the recommendations made by the European Union, such as contained in the recent letter sent to the Spanish government.
It is now as clear as day that the queues engineered by the Spanish authorities are disproportionate and do not meet the free-flowing requirement that the EU expects to see in European fontier and crossing, which should apply to all Europeans.
The PP government is making a mockery of Europan principles. Many Spaniards are also saying that whereas any tobacco smuggling at the La Linea is made a fuss of, much more, container-loads, get into Spain through Spanish ports, even through Algeciras where no effective action is taken not only to attack the tobacco smuggling there but also the large amounts of drugs that enter Spain, and hence Europe, through the Algeciras port.
It is widely reported that Spain is the main entry point into Europe of drugs.
Yet, the Spanish authorities go out of their way to make life as unpleasant as possible at the La Linea frontier, obviously for political reasons. And create no queues at Algeciras, for example!
27-11-14 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
http://www.panorama.gi/localnews/hea...12648&offset=0
Talking Point
There were long frontier queues on Tuesday evening, which has led to much criticism in La Linea in particular.
The queues, said to be of 2 hours duration on the way into Spain, have been described as 'cruel, totally unnecessary and capricious' by the La Linea workers association Ascteg and the Humanitarian Frontier.
A Spanish worker said that he was on his way across the frontier suffeRing from an injury to his hand, and eager to reach the La Linea hospital at the earliest, when he was faced with the added misery of the frontier queues.
A woman also told a Campo radio that she was on her way to a funeral, but imagine the problem faced when encountered with such a long delays.
Ascteg said it was shameful that the Spanish government did not comply with the recommendations made by the European Union, such as contained in the recent letter sent to the Spanish government.
It is now as clear as day that the queues engineered by the Spanish authorities are disproportionate and do not meet the free-flowing requirement that the EU expects to see in European fontier and crossing, which should apply to all Europeans.
The PP government is making a mockery of Europan principles. Many Spaniards are also saying that whereas any tobacco smuggling at the La Linea is made a fuss of, much more, container-loads, get into Spain through Spanish ports, even through Algeciras where no effective action is taken not only to attack the tobacco smuggling there but also the large amounts of drugs that enter Spain, and hence Europe, through the Algeciras port.
It is widely reported that Spain is the main entry point into Europe of drugs.
Yet, the Spanish authorities go out of their way to make life as unpleasant as possible at the La Linea frontier, obviously for political reasons. And create no queues at Algeciras, for example!
27-11-14 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
http://www.panorama.gi/localnews/hea...12648&offset=0
Dec 1st 2014 | 3:26 am
#2082
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Checkpoint Franco
2.5 hour + queue
2.5 hour + queue
Dec 1st 2014 | 4:16 am
#2083
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Checkpoint Franco
Now
3.5 hour + queue
A lot of Spanish workers are going to be late home tonight
Now
3.5 hour + queue
A lot of Spanish workers are going to be late home tonight
Dec 1st 2014 | 5:49 am
#2084
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
Checkpoint Franco
Now
5 hours + queue
A lot of Spanish workers are going to be very late home tonight
Reduced vote for the PP
Now
5 hours + queue
A lot of Spanish workers are going to be very late home tonight
Reduced vote for the PP
Dec 1st 2014 | 8:09 pm
#2085
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,759
From: Land of no recession
Re: Gibraltar
From webcam images it would appear this morning that Checkpoint Franco is now blocking traffic exiting Spain
