Fredbargate

Single Sky: EU members respond to bid for Gib exclusion with call for Anglo-Spanish solution

Europe’s eagerness to soar ahead with so called ‘single sky’ measures yesterday resulted in Britain being pushed towards talking with Spain to try and resolve their clash over Gibraltar’s inclusion, whilst the Council of the European Union spend the coming months negotiating with the European Parliament on the core aviation issues.

Spain wants the entire agreement to reflect the position as at the time of the 1987 Airport Agreement – Gibraltar out unless it agrees Spain shares use of the airport under the terms of that long rejected arrangement.

The Chronicle has established that initial reports in the Spanish media were not wholly accurate. No formal vote was taken yesterday on the Italian Presidency proposal to place the Gibraltar application in ‘brackets ‘- in effect this means the Council taking no position on it for the moment but allowing “discussions between Spain and UK”. Yesterday only UK actually objected.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

Spain admits Western Beach sewage problem

Spain has admitted to the European Commission that it has caused sewage pollution at Western Beach, including during the bathing season.

The admission came after the Spanish authorities responded to a request from the European Commission to provide updated information on spills from the collecting systems in La Linea.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

This has been happening since Spain built the Alcaidesa Marina and diverted their waste adjacent to Gibraltar's Western Beach

Fredbargate

FCO: Spain trying to force sovereignty negotiations on Gibraltar through EU

Date: 04 December 2014

The Foreign Office has accused Spain of trying to use EU discussions over the Single Skies framework to force sovereignty negotiations on Gibraltar. It says the EU has no recourse but to reflect its own legal statues, and apply the aviation legislation to Gibraltar. The FCO adds it reserves its position on the lawfulness of any other outcome, and on its response – which could include pursuing legal proceedings. Until the text of the new legislation is resolved and adopted, it says, the existing legislation, which includes Gibraltar, continues to apply.

The Chief Minister has classed the Spanish government as “desperate” for trying to suggest that it’s achieved the exclusion of Gibraltar.

And, Gibraltar’s Conservative MEPs have also reacted angrily to what they call moves by Spain to block the Europe-wide aviation agreement. In a statement, Ashley Fox MEP said “Madrid is bullying and posturing while breaking its promises” – while Julie Girling MEP told GBC it’s “unthinkable” that Gibraltar should be excluded from any such legislation.

GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation

Fredbargate

Britain threatens legal action and accuses Spain of using EU process to pursue Gib sovereignty

by Dominique Searle

Britain yesterday signalled readiness to go to court to ensure Gibraltar’s inclusion in the reformed EU ‘single sky’ and asserted that, until the issue is resolved, the Rock remains in under the existing EU aviation legislation which, it said, will continue in force.

In a dramatic turn London has now accused Spain of seeking to force sovereignty negotiations.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

Conservative MEPs slam Spain of bullying over single sky manoeuvre

Conservative MEPs reacted angrily yesterday to moves by Spain to block the ambitious Europe-wide ‘single sky’ aviation agreement because of their assertion, rejected by Gibraltar and UK, that the isthmus on which the runway is constructed is “illegally occupied.”

The MEPs have criticised Madrid’s threat to scupper the negotiations between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament unless Gibraltar is excluded.

Ashley Fox and Julie Girling, Conservative MEPs for the South West and Gibraltar, condemned the Spanish demands as “bullying and posturing”.

Mr Fox said: “Spain’s stance is provocative and unreasonable as well as illogical and illegal. It flies in the face of the 2006 Cordoba agreement, whereby Spain agreed to stop seeking the exclusion of Gibraltar airport from EU aviation measures.

“Madrid is bullying and posturing while breaking its promises. We will not be party to any agreement that excludes Gibraltar’s airport. Gibraltar is British as well as part of the EU. No amount of sulking will change that.

But Mrs Girling said: “Single Sky is supposed to help not hinder free movement across European airspace. Spain simply cannot accept that Gibraltar is part of the United Kingdom and so they want Gibraltar to be excluded from the EU aviation law. “This is nonsense and blocks the whole process for implementing the Single Sky Initiative until agreement is reached. I hope that this issue will help other member states to realise the difficulties that Gibraltar and the UK constantly suffer in the face of “Spanish hostility.”

The EU Council of transport ministers agreed on Wednesday to press ahead with Single Sky negotiations, a proposal which has been on the drawing board since 2004 and would merge national air corridors to create shorter flight paths and cut costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

The MEPs said that the inclusion or otherwise of Gibraltar will now be decided in further negotiations between the EU Commission and European Parliament. The Council has stated that the adoption of the two regulations requires the approval of both the Council and the European Parliament.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

Single sky: Hammond calls on Italian presidency to ensure EU ‘follows its own law’

In a telephone call to his Italian counterpart, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told the EU presidency that Gibraltar must be in new single sky measures and that in the meantime the existing regulation, including the Rock, remains in place.

In a stern statement entitled ‘Foreign Secretary concern at Spain’s ‘political point-scoring’’ Mr Hammond raised his concerns about this week’s EU negotiation on aviation legislation.

Mr Hammond, reinforcing a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday evening called Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy, which currently holds the EU Presidency, to express Britain’s concern about the process for agreeing EU aviation legislation Single European Sky 2 plus (SESII+), which “has been delayed because Spain has refused to recognise that Gibraltar must be included in the legislation.”

“I made it clear to Italian Foreign Minister Gentiloni that this legislation cannot progress until the issue of Gibraltar is resolved. I underlined that an important piece of legislation for Member States and industry had been held up by political-point scoring on the part of the Spanish. British sovereignty over Gibraltar is an issue outside the competence of the EU, and a distraction. We are confident that the EU will have no option but to follow its own laws and apply the legislation to Gibraltar,” said Mr Hammond.

The Foreign Secretary said that Spain is trying to use this EU process to force sovereignty negotiations on Gibraltar.

“Let there be no doubt. The UK will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes. Nor will we enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content,” he said adding that “until the text of the SESII+ file is resolved and the act adopted, the existing SESII+ legislation, which includes Gibraltar, will continue to apply.”

On Wednesday the EU Transport Council agreed significant elements of the Single European Sky 2 plus (SESII+) package of aviation legislation, which will reform the delivery of air navigation services.

“The Council did not decide on the application of the legislation to Gibraltar as Spain was unwilling to recognise the Gibraltar must be included in EU transport legislation. The legislation cannot be adopted until the text has been agreed,” said the Foreign Office.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

EU presidency confirms new aviation law will not proceed, Gib remains in

Britain’s EU office in Brussels UKREP has said that the Italian presidency has confirmed that the draft EU aviation law will not proceed. In a Tweet UKREP declared this morning “Success: Italian Govt confirms draft #EU aviation law won't proceed. #Gibraltar must be included as it is already & sld be under EU Treaty.”

This follows Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond’s robust statement on Friday making the UK’s position clear and accusing Spain of trying to use the EU treaty to force sovereignty negotiations. Mr Hammond called in the Italian Foreign Minister over the issue.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

UK self-determination pledge to its Overseas Territories

The peoples of all the British Overseas Territories, of which Gibraltar is one, have the right of self-determination. That was one of the declarations agreed between the UK and the territories following an intense three days of discussion and negotiation in London.

The final communique issued at the end of this week’s meeting of the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London contained references to several issues of current concern to Gibraltar.

The communique stressed that “while the UK, the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies form one undivided Realm under the Crown, each territory is unique and has its own Constitution, its own form of government and its own laws. The peoples of all the territories have the right of self-determination. ”

The joint declaration also underlined the UK’s “commitment to upholding the security and sovereignty of the overseas territories and their territorial waters.”

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Royal Navy Amphibious Landing Exercise at Eastern Beach

This all took place within a few yards of Spain

GBC | Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation

Fredbargate

UK Transport Minister ‘stormed out’ after Spanish bid to block Gibraltar in ‘single sky’

by Dominique Searle

Britain’s Transport Minister was so incensed at Spain’s position over Gibraltar’s inclusion in the EU ‘single sky and the European Commission’s attempt to push negotiations through by suspending the Rock that he stormed out of the meeting in Brussels last week.

The minister Robert Goodwill, in a statement to Parliament this week, revealed the move.

“I left the Council in protest at what was a completely unacceptable situation,” he said

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Fredbargate

UK and Gib scotch Landaluce’s claim of Madrid talks

The Gibraltar and British governments have dismissed a suggestion by Jose Ignacio Landaluce, the PP politician and mayor of Algeciras, that an ‘ad hoc’ meeting was scheduled to take place in Madrid next week.

While the UK and Gibraltar remain committed to dialogue, both insisted that a date and agenda for ad hoc talks had yet to be agreed.

Sr Landaluce, who is the vice chair of the Spanish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission, told reporters that dialogue with Gibraltar would be renewed in the Spanish capital next week.

Although he did not use theterm ‘ad hoc’, he said the meeting had been called by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and would include authorities such as the Mancomunidad de Municipios.

“We won’t be talking about sovereignty, but about issues that affect our surroundings, our fishermen, the environment and so on,” he said, responding to questions during a press conference in Algeciras.

But the comments were met with bemusement here because there is no planned meeting involving UK or Gibraltar officials.

“We are aware of comments made by Sr Landaluce today, but he is mistaken,” said a spokesman for The Convent.

“Although we are actively pursuing the possibility of ad hoc talks at official level, involving all relevant parties, no date has yet been agreed.”

“We are working in close co-ordination with the Government of Gibraltar and hope that we will be able to finalise arrangements with Spain within the terms agreed to by the Foreign Secretary in the near future.”

“It remains the long term aim of the UK and the Government of Gibraltar to return to the Trilateral Forum for Dialogue between the UK, Spain and Gibraltar from which the current Spanish government has withdrawn.”

Last night, that position was echoed by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who told this newspaper that any suggestion of an ad hoc meeting in Madrid next week had “no bearing on reality”.

“The position remains that we are working hard to agree a date, time and agenda for the ad hoc talks that we designed with [former UK Foreign Secretary] William Hague and proposed to Spain,” Mr Picardo said.

“We have not yet been able to do so.”

Mr Picardo was speaking from Paris, where his flight to the UK had been diverted following a computer glitch that caused chaos with flights into London and other British airports

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

IamStu

Without intending contoversy, regardless of what historical bullying and posturing allowed Gibraltar to be "owned" by the UK, Gibraltar is part of Spain and therefore should be Spanish.
Similarly, had for example Germany taken Kent during a succesful second world war invasion, would it still be acceptable to any UK resident that Kent was no longer part of the UK?
Similarly, would it be acceptable to the French, if Paris was also considered Germany?
I fail to distinguish much of a difference.

Fredbargate

So are you saying that a country can sign over part of it's territory to another country and then at a later date just ask for it back ignoring the original treaty?

IamStu

That would really depend on why it was signed over in the first place.
I suspect the UK had Spain over a barrell whereby Spain had little option but to sign it over.
If that was the case, then yes, it should be given back.

Fredbargate

So democracy and the will of the people is not in your vocabulary

I believe you should read up about
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–14)