UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has visited Gibraltar for crucial discussions as part of ongoing efforts to secure a post-Brexit agreement concerning the territory.

On Wednesday, Lammy and Europe Minister Stephen Doughty met with Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, and his cabinet. The group is now heading to Brussels for further talks with European Union and Spanish officials.

Negotiations over the status of Gibraltar’s border with Spain have continued since the UK left the EU in 2020, but a final agreement has yet to be reached. A Foreign Office source said that while progress has been made, some major issues remain unresolved.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Chief Minister Picardo wrote that it was time “to try to finalise arrangements for a lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial.”

Last month, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Council President António Costa announced a new UK-EU deal, noting that a separate agreement on Gibraltar was “not very far” from completion.

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of Spain, covering just 2.6 square miles. The UK has held sovereignty over Gibraltar since 1713, though Spain disputes this claim and continues to seek control of the territory.

The future of Gibraltar’s border with Spain has been a particularly difficult issue since Brexit. Around 15,000 people cross the border daily for work or leisure.

Currently, Gibraltar residents can enter Spain using residency cards without passport stamps, while Spanish nationals use government ID cards. However, with the EU planning to implement its new Entry/Exit system later this year, there are fears that border delays could increase significantly.

The UK-EU deal struck last month included assurances that UK citizens would still be able to use e-gates, which would avoid a return to passport stamping. Still, Gibraltar's situation requires a separate agreement.

This potential deal could make Gibraltar an associate member of the Schengen area, allowing for free movement across the border and removing physical infrastructure checks.

Both the Labour government and the previous Conservative administration have stated that no deal will be agreed with the EU without the full support of Gibraltar.

One of the main sticking points is whether Spanish officials will be allowed to carry out Schengen border checks at Gibraltar’s airport, which is operated by the UK Ministry of Defence and also serves as an RAF base. Similar issues exist regarding Gibraltar’s port.

Despite repeated claims from both sides that a deal is near, no final agreement has been made after more than a year of negotiations.

Gibraltar, home to about 32,000 people, strongly supports remaining under British sovereignty. In a 2002 referendum, nearly 99% of voters rejected a proposal for shared sovereignty with Spain. Photo by Steve, Wikimedia commons.