EU, UK close on agreement on Gibraltar

The European Commission has adopted proposals for the signing, provisional application and conclusion of a new EU-UK agreement on Gibraltar, completing the legal framework governing relations over the territory.

Gibraltar was not covered by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which has regulated broader ties between Brussels and London since 2021. The new deal aims to secure long-term prosperity in the region by removing physical barriers to the movement of people and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, while safeguarding the Schengen area, the EU single market and the customs union.

The proposals will now be sent to the Council for the steps required for signature and conclusion, with the European Parliament’s consent also required.

The legal text follows a political agreement reached in June 2025 between Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

The Commission said the agreement would provide legal certainty and strengthen cooperation between the Spanish and Gibraltarian authorities, promoting stability and shared prosperity across the region.