John Culatto
THE UK will try to thrash out a deal in the 13th round of talks on Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU this April 24-25 in London.
Gibraltar’s Attorney-General Michael Llamas will represent the Rock’s views in the UK delegation while Spain will put across its own view as part of the EU team.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo will join in to the talks by video call with the Deputy Chief Minister set to arrive in the British capital late on Monday.
The negotiations are trying to iron out issues to secure frontier free access with the EU.
“The 13th negotiating round between the United Kingdom and the European Union to agree a future relationship treaty for Gibraltar takes place in London this week on 24th and 25th April,” the Gibraltar Government said in a statement.
“The government remains fully committed to work hard to conclude an agreement which is safe, secure and beneficial for Gibraltar,” it added.
After the last round of talks in January, Picardo said the UK was ‘on the verge’ of agreement with Spain and the EU.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said his country was ‘very close to a deal’.
The talks are part of Gibraltar’s attempt to avoid a hard EU frontier on its northern border with the bloc.
If unsuccessful, Spaniards and Gibraltarians would have to get their passports stamped at the current land frontier, leading to long delays.
But if the talks succeed, authorities will remove the land border and instead set up Schengen checkpoints at the air and sea ports into the Rock.
The main obstacles to a deal have been pensions reform, taxation and who will check passports at entry points, according to press reports.
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