Spain expresses ‘optimism’ over sealing a deal on Gibraltar but warns ‘pending issues’ must be resolved first

‘PENDING issues’ are all that remain between sealing a deal for Gibraltar, according to Spain’s Secretary of State for the EU.

Fernando Sampedro expressed his ‘optimism’ in the ongoing negotiations between the UK and Gibraltar with Spain and the EU.

He also rejected claims of an impasse in negotiations when speaking to reporters in Brussels, despite six months having passed since the last ministerial-level meeting.

Sampedro emphasised that Spain shares ‘many values and interests’ with Keir Starmer’s Labour government. 

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However, he warned that for the ‘alliance to be complete,’ pending issues must be resolved.

“There is no impasse,” explained the Secretary of State regarding the lack of high-level meetings since September last year, when EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic last met with British Foreign Minister David Lammy. 

Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also attended that meeting, which was the first with the new Labour government.

Sampedro noted that ‘the framework [for a deal] is known’ and ‘has been on the table for a long time,’ expressing confidence that the British government ‘can give its final approval.’

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The ‘pending issues’ have long been speculated on, with all the parties in the talks having kept their cards very close to their chests.

According to Sampedro, technical contacts remain ‘very fluid,’ and he personally maintains ‘weekly contact’ with the EU Executive and his British counterparts. 

He believes this ongoing work provides ‘reasons for optimism’ that a long-awaited deal can finally be agreed, with economic uncertainty having long hung over the Rock due to its slow progress.

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When asked about a date for the next political meeting, Sampedro simply stated it would happen ‘when conditions are right’ and insisted that teams continue working on the agreement that Brussels and London have been negotiating for more than three years, which will regulate Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU after Brexit.

Regarding whether Spain would ask its EU partners to make the Gibraltar agreement a precondition for exploring the ‘reset’ proposed by London, the Secretary of State considered that it’s not about setting preconditions but rather ensuring that for the UK-EU relationship to be ‘close’ and ‘complete,’ they must ‘close pending issues.’