Gibraltar: UK Relations with EU

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office written question – answered at on 17 March 2026.

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Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, (a) with reference to Article 55 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (i) if she will publish a precise schedule of offences and the Laws they relate to to supplement the list in Annex 8 and (ii) whether Spanish authorities will be required to provide notification to the authorities of the UK and Gibraltar in respect of any individuals they are undertaking surveillance on in Gibraltar, and (b) with reference to Article 55 (2) and 56 (2) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (A) when the administrative arrangements setting out the practical modalities will be established and (B) whether drafts will be published for scrutiny in advance of the Treaty coming into effect.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 62 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what her estimate is of the number of enhanced police checks she expects (a) the Spanish authorities to undertake in Gibraltar, and (b) the competent UK authorities to undertake in the contiguous frontier zone.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, (a) with reference to Article 53 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what processes will follow instances whereby requests made for international protection are made to the Spanish authorities; and what rights to travel and remain in Gibraltar will an individual granted international protection by Spain have; and (b) with reference to the provisions of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, how applications for international protection will be handled by authorities in Gibraltar where applicants have travelled from Spain to enter Gibraltar.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to (a) Article 49 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what is her assessment of the potential impact of the cessation of long stay visas for Gibraltar; (b) Articles 50 and 51, what estimate she has made of the number of residence permits that will be (i) issued and (ii) renewed in each year once the Treaty comes into effect and whether she has made an estimate of (A) the number of permits that Spain may reject and (B) the additional cost of establishing the systems necessary to implement the provisions in this Article, and (c) Article 52, what estimate she has made of the number of persons will be affected by the transitional rule.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to (a) Article 48(4) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what timescales will the Spanish authorities be given to undertake their assessment of visa applications and (b) Article 48(6), on what evidential basis was the provision for a maximum annual limit of 15 visas determined.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 32(3) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, whether the competent authorities of the Kingdom of Spain will be required to provide (a) reasons and (b) evidence to the UK authorities for determining that individuals concerned have the right of free movement.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 29 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what provisions are in place for the (a) UK and (b) Gibraltar authorities to derogate from alignment from entry requirements with (i) current EU law and (ii) future changes to EU law; and with reference to Article 29(7), will the UK be compelled to align entry requirements to future changes to Union law.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Articles 22, 23 and 24, and Annex 6, of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (a) what estimate she has made of the UK’s contribution to the cost of the secretariat, (b) what process she will put in place to notify Parliament in advance of forthcoming decisions and (c) which documents exchanged through (i) the Cooperation Council and (ii) its respective specialist committees will be published.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 13 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, how do these provisions differ from those contained in (a) the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and (b) the security and defence partnership between the EU and the UK.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Articles 10(2)(a) and 10(3) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (a) what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar; and which legal instruments this provision would apply to once ratified.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to (a) Article 8(2) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (i) what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar, and which international forums this provision applies to and (b) Article 9(2), what assessment she has made of the legal impact of this measure on (i) the UK and (ii) Gibraltar, and which international forums this provision applies to.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 7 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, what her expected timetable is for the (a) implementation plan to be confirmed and (b) removal of physical barriers to commence; what estimate she has made of the costs; and whether (i) UK-based and (ii) Gibraltar-based businesses will be contracted to undertake this work.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she will publish a list of the UK domestic legislation which will require amending to comply with the Treaty’s provisions.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has undertaken an economic impact assessment on potential changes to trade flows between the UK and Gibraltar as a consequence of the draft UK-EU Treaty.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Pursuant to Article 121 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she will provide a definition for a ‘political offence’

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the provisions on arrest and extradition of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she will provide an estimate of the numbers of persons to be affected by those provisions each year.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the taxation provisions of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she will provide an economic impact assessment on changes to taxation as a result of the Treaty; pursuant to the provisions of Article 220, if she will provide an economic impact assessment on the carbon pricing provisions; and pursuant to the customs union provisions, if she will provide an economic impact on trade flows into Gibraltar.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the provisions of Article 247(1) of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she has a timetable for when a decision will be adopted by the Cooperation Council is scheduled to be made.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the provisions of Article 248 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, if she has undertaken an economic impact assessment of the introduction of transaction taxes.

Photo of Priti Patel Priti Patel Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the provisions of Article 274 of the draft UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar, (a) what her planned timetable is for when the joint venture company in respect of the airport will be (i) established; and (ii) undertake day-to-day management of Gibraltar airport; and (b) if ownership of the airport will remain with the Ministry of Defence.

Photo of Stephen Doughty Stephen Doughty Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my statement to the House on 26 February, and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

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