Historic Gibraltar border fence gets dismantled under new UK-EU agreement

Spain and Gibraltar have celebrated the removal of the last frontier fence in western Europe following the entry into force of a landmark post-Brexit agreement this week that abolishes border checks between the British overseas territory and Spain.

The agreement, signed in Brussels this week after more than four years of negotiations between the United Kingdom, Spain, Gibraltar and the European Union, took effect at midnight on July 14, as British media reported.

Under the new arrangement, routine border controls and customs checks have been eliminated to allow the free movement of residents, tourists and the approximately 15,000 Spanish workers who cross into Gibraltar each day. Spain will assume responsibility for carrying out Schengen checks at Gibraltar's airport and port.

The deal also led to the dismantling of the border fence that had physically separated Gibraltar from Spain since 1908.

Gibraltar, which was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, has a population of around 40,000 and depends heavily on workers commuting daily from neighbouring Spain. The territory also plays a significant role in the economy of the surrounding Campo de Gibraltar region in Andalusia.

Under the previous border regime, commuters frequently faced long queues, particularly during periods of diplomatic tension between Madrid and London.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the border town of La Línea de la Concepción on Wednesday to witness the removal of the final section of the fence, describing the moment as a historic turning point.

"The Gibraltar fence – the last wall in continental Europe – has fallen so that we can take a step towards a new era of coexistence and shared prosperity," the Spanish PM stressed.

Sánchez said the removal of the barrier closed an "open wound" and marked the beginning of closer cooperation between Gibraltar and the surrounding Spanish region following Britain's departure from the European Union.

By Nazrin Sadigova