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Date Published: 17/02/2022

ARCHIVED - Gibraltar retaliates after lorry drivers told they will need a permit to enter Spain from March 1

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

If Spain puts obstacles in the way of Gibraltar's hauliers, the Rock will do likewise, warns the government

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Gibraltar retaliates after lorry drivers told they will need a permit to enter Spain from March 1

As a consequence of Gibraltar's departure from the European Union, the Rock's hauliers operating in Spain have reportedly been told at the border they will need a special permit to enter the country from March 1, a measure that the government claims is being implemented with no official notification.

As such, Gibraltar has warned that if Spain puts obstacles in the way of its registered commercial drivers, it will do likewise, and "in line with reciprocity", will require EU hauliers, including Spanish operators, to produce a permit to enter and move around the Rock.

The colony's executive claims it has not received any communication from the Spanish Government, adding that "the British embassy in Madrid is addressing the issue", but maintains that these diplomatic efforts "have not served to dispel the doubts that everyone has at the moment".

Also read: Spain and UK extend temporary agreement on Gibraltar

"Spanish authorities have warned Gibraltarian hauliers at the border that circumstances will change at the end of this month, so the Gibraltar Government has taken steps to build the necessary legislative framework for a possible activation of the principle of reciprocity."

"An information leaflet will be distributed to all commercial vehicles at the Gibraltar border which will spell out, in different languages, the reason for the change in approach and the steps that they need to take to operate in the colony.

"A short period of adjustment will be permitted in order to enable EU hauliers to comply with the arrangements," said the Gibraltar Government in a statement.

The logical consequence of this would be that those hauliers without a permit would be required to unload their goods at the border and transfer the load to a Gibraltar-registered company for local delivery inside Gibraltar.

"The end of the EU legal framework for the carriage of goods and passengers has led the UK to apply for the extension to Gibraltar of the relevant Council of Europe (not EU) international conventions. These have been held up in the Council of Europe even though the issue could have been resolved in an instant through such extensions," the statement continued.

There are 13 road haulage companies in Gibraltar with 319 employees of whom 230 are EU or Spanish citizens.

"This move by the Spanish Government is clearly not in the interests of anyone and the matter has been taken up with the relevant authorities in the UK and Spain," added the Gibraltar Government.

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