Gibraltar to remain British as UK and EU publish post-Brexit treaty

A draft treaty published by the UK, Gibraltar and the EU proposes a 'fluid border' at the Spain‑Gibraltar land crossing with no routine passport or burdensome customs checks for daily crossers, while stating it does not affect sovereignty; the draft still needs to be signed and ratified.

Gibraltar will remain a British overseas territory under a draft treaty published by the UK, Gibraltar and the EU that sets out post‑Brexit arrangements for the Rock. The draft proposes a 'fluid border' at the land crossing with Spain to allow people and many everyday goods to cross without routine passport checks or burdensome goods checks. It also states that nothing in the treaty shall constitute an assertion or denial of sovereignty and protects the UK's autonomy over key military facilities. The treaty has been published in draft form and is set to be signed in March, before ratification and implementation. Key points: - The draft would mean no routine passport checks at the Spain‑Gibraltar land border for the roughly 15,000 people who cross it daily, many of them workers. - People arriving by air would face dual border checks: one by Gibraltarian officials and one by Spanish authorities on behalf of the EU. - A bespoke customs model is proposed to reduce goods checks at the land border, and Gibraltar would align its import duty rates with EU rates for everyday goods. - The draft confirms Gibraltar will continue to have no VAT or other sales tax. - The treaty text says it does not affect sovereignty and safeguards UK control over military facilities on Gibraltar. - Officials say the draft has Gibraltar's support, but some MPs raised concerns about dynamic alignment and the future adoption of EU acts listed in annexes. Summary: The draft treaty is intended to ease daily crossings at the land border and reduce customs frictions while keeping sovereignty assertions unchanged. Officials describe it as providing certainty for people and businesses, and some parliamentarians have asked for further scrutiny on how alignment and legal interpretation will operate in practice. The draft must be signed, then ratified and implemented; it is scheduled to be signed in March.