Gibraltar will remain British, but people will be able to travel freely across the land border with Spain, according to a post-Brexit agreement on the territory, the Press Association reports. Gibraltar was not included in the post-Brexit trade deal negotiated between the UK and the EU more than five years ago. But the two sides have now finally agreed what they call a “practical and lasting solution” that will settle the status of the British territory perched at the edge of Spain.

PA says:

The UK, alongside the government of Gibraltar, has published a draft treaty with the EU that outlines the arrangements for a “fluid border” for people and goods.

The deal will mean no routine passport checks at the Spain-Gibraltar border for the 15,000 people who cross it every day.

However, checks will apply to those arriving by air, so those flying into Gibraltar from the UK will face dual border controls: one check from Gibraltarian officials and another by the Spanish on behalf of the EU.

There will also be a tailored customs model to “eliminate burdensome goods checks”, the UK Government said.

The draft agreement does not affect sovereignty, stating that nothing signed “shall constitute the basis for any assertion or denial of sovereignty” over the Rock, and protects UK autonomy of key military facilities.

Gibraltar’s airport is run by the Ministry of Defence and hosts an RAF base. The overseas territory also has an important naval facility.

Chief minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, said the treaty protects the “British way of life” on the Rock, while “unlocking new opportunities for growth”.

The treaty, published in draft form today, still needs to be signed, ratified an implemented.

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said: “This treaty ensures that Gibraltar’s economy, people, and future are protected as an integral part of the British family.

“Working closely with the government of Gibraltar – and agreeing nothing without their consent – we have a treaty that preserves sovereignty and delivers certainty when Gibraltar’s way of life was threatened.

“The UK’s commitment to Gibraltar will never falter.”

Picardo said: “This is a safe and secure agreement we have negotiated alongside the UK and that unequivocally protects our position on sovereignty, safeguards our economy and delivers the certainty our people and businesses need.

“It allows Gibraltar to look to the future with confidence, protecting our British way of life while unlocking new opportunities for growth and prosperity.

“It is an agreement that is very good for Gibraltar-based individuals and businesses that will deliver great growth for our economy.”

Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory.

The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move.

Talks on rules governing the border have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020.