EU commissioner says 'Gibraltar is Spanish'

An EU commissioner has sparked anger by quipping that Gibraltar is Spanish while dismissing the chances of a Brexit deal for the Rock before a June deadline.

“Gibraltar español,” said Margaritis Schinas, when asked about the sensitive negotiations in Seville which have dragged on for years over 18 rounds and counting.

The slogan, which means “Gibraltar is Spanish” and dates back to the Franco era, is chanted by those who claim the Rock is a colony and rightfully belongs to Spain.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the Spanish wars of succession. In a 2002 referendum, 98.97 per cent of Gibraltarians voted down a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, which continues to claim the territory.

Spain has not demanded sovereignty over the Rock as part of the Brexit negotiations, which makes the EU chief’s joke particularly ill-judged given the sensitivities over the issue.

“I can more comfortably say ‘Gibraltar español’ after Brexit,” said Mr Schinas, the Commissioner for promoting the “European Way of Life”.

“And it’s not just the only area where things are better after Brexit.”

UK and EU negotiators are striving to secure a deal creating a post-Brexit common travel area between Spain and Gibraltar before June’s European Parliament elections.

The elections precede a change of leadership in the EU institution that would delay further talks. Failure to get a UK-EU deal done before the vote could leave Gibraltar facing “no deal” full border controls on movements to and from Spain.

‘Unfortunate and incomprehensible’

Mr Schinas, who is Greek and speaks fluent Spanish, said negotiations had lasted “longer than expected”.

“I don’t believe there will indeed be a result before the European elections, and I think some involved in the negotiation wanted to project a certain optimism that is not reflected in reality,” he said in comments that were branded “very unfortunate and incomprehensible” by a furious Madrid.

The European Commission is handling negotiations with the UK on Spain’s behalf but Madrid will have the final say on whether to accept a deal brokered by Brussels.

Mr Schinas was the commission’s chief spokesman during the Brexit negotiations and vice president of the EU executive in Brussels.

But he is not in charge of negotiations over Gibraltar, which are being handled by Slovak commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who agreed the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

Border control power

London, Brussels and Madrid have agreed on the broad outline of a deal that will grant the Rock membership of the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone.

Gibraltar police and the EU’s Frontex border agency will police the territory’s border at its airport and ports, under the proposed agreement.

But negotiations have been complicated by sensitive sovereignty issues, including a Madrid power grab for joint management of Gibraltrar’s airport, which includes an RAF base.

Mr Schinas also doubted whether British negotiators would ultimately accept officers from Frontex policing the airport.

“Our British friends believe that Frontex is very European,” Mr Schinas told Spanish reporters over breakfast on Thursday morning.

Negotiations progressing ‘as planned’

Jose Manuel Albares, the Spanish foreign minister, insisted negotiations were progressing at “a good pace”.

“I have spoken with Commissioner Schinas regarding those statements he made, which seem very unfortunate and incomprehensible to me because Commissioner Schinas is not at all involved in the dossier of the withdrawal agreement concerning Gibraltar,” Mr Albares told Spanish TV.

Late on Thursday night, the European Commission, under pressure from Madrid, distanced itself from Mr Schinas’ remarks.

It said Mr Sefcovic was in charge of the talks which were proceeding “as planned” and entering “a sensitive phase”.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said that did not mean there had been a breakthrough in the negotiations, which remain deadlocked.

Spanish authorities have not imposed full border controls with Gibraltar since Brexit took legal effect at the end of 2020, but have warned that the situation cannot continue indefinitely.

They have allowed the free flow of Gibraltarians and Spaniards to and from the Rock, including around 15,000 Spain-based workers who are essential to the Gibraltarian economy, providing much-needed employment.