The European Commission has officially adopted proposals for the signing and provisional application, as well as the conclusion, of an agreement regarding Gibraltar between the European Union and the United Kingdom. This follows a political agreement on key principles that was reached in June 2025 among Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. The negotiating teams successfully finalised the legal text in December.
The agreement, signed on 17 February, aims to foster confidence and legal certainty in the lives and well-being of individuals across the region, promote shared prosperity, and strengthen constructive relations between the authorities of Gibraltar and Spain.
This EU-UK agreement concerning Gibraltar will complete the legal framework for relations between the EU and the United Kingdom as established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It is important to note that Gibraltar is not included within the scope of that agreement, which was signed in 2020 and has been in effect since 2021.
The primary objective of the EU-UK agreement regarding Gibraltar is to secure the future prosperity of the entire region. This goal is to be achieved by removing all physical barriers to the movement of people and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, while fully maintaining the integrity of Schengen, the EU’s Single Market, and its Customs Union.
The proposals will be transmitted to the Council, which will proceed with the necessary steps toward the signing and conclusion of the agreement. Additionally, the European Parliament must provide its consent, in accordance with EU treaties.
