Britain and EU Formalize Gibraltar Treaty, Easing Cross-Border Travel
Historic Treaty Signed to Resolve Gibraltar Border Issues
BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union formally signed on Tuesday a treaty on the status of Gibraltar, following an agreement struck last year aimed at easing border crossings and ending years of political uncertainty over the British overseas territory.
Key Figures in the Treaty Signing
The treaty was signed in Brussels by European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, British Minister of State for Europe Stephen Doughty, Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno and Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo.
New Border Crossing Procedures
Residence and ID Card Policies
Gibraltar residents can cross over to Spain using residence cards without needing to have their passports stamped, while Spanish citizens can cross using a government ID card.
Airport Arrivals and Passport Checks
Those arriving at Gibraltar airport will show their passports to both Gibraltar and Spanish border officers, and Britain wants a system similar to French police operating at the London St Pancras railway station for the Eurostar service.
Historical Context of Gibraltar's Status
The Treaty of Utrecht
Britain won Gibraltar - a strategically important enclave at the southern tip of Spain - in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht which ended the War of Spanish Succession.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta;Editing by Phil Blenkinsop)
