EU-UK Gibraltar Agreement Approved

EU Council Press Releases

Published April 1st, 2026

Detected April 1st, 2026

Summary

The Council of the EU approved the EU-UK agreement regarding Gibraltar, with provisional application set for 15 July 2026. The agreement removes all physical barriers on persons and goods circulating between Spain and Gibraltar while safeguarding Schengen, the EU Single Market, and Customs Union. This completes the legal framework of EU-UK relations beyond the 2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

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What changed

The Committee of Permanent Representatives agreed to the texts of the EU-UK Agreement in respect of Gibraltar, completing the legal framework that was excluded from the 2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The agreement's main objective is to secure regional prosperity by removing all physical barriers for persons and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, while fully safeguarding Schengen, the Single Market, and Customs Union.

Businesses and government agencies should prepare for the provisional application date of 15 July 2026. Entities involved in cross-border trade or transportation between Spain and Gibraltar should review current procedures and barrier removal requirements. The agreement will be formally adopted once Council lawyer-linguist checks are concluded.

What to do next

Review current cross-border procedures for Spain-Gibraltar movements
Prepare for removal of physical barriers on persons and goods by 15 July 2026
Assess impact on customs and Schengen compliance requirements

Source document (simplified)

Council of the EU
Press release
1 April 2026 10:55

EU-UK relations: member states greenlight EU-UK deal on Gibraltar

The Committee of Permanent Representatives has agreed today the texts of the agreement and decisions of signature and provisional application of the Agreement between the EU and the UK in respect of Gibraltar. The texts will be formally adopted as soon as the checks of the Council lawyer-linguists are concluded. The Agreement is expected to enter into provisional application on 15 July 2026.

The EU-UK Agreement in respect of Gibraltar will complete the legal framework of the relations between the EU and the United Kingdom established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Gibraltar is not included in the scope of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, signed in 2020 and in force since 2021.

The main objective of the EU-UK agreement in respect of Gibraltar is to secure the future prosperity of the whole region. This objective will be reached by removing all physical barriers on persons and goods circulating between Spain and Gibraltar, while fully safeguarding Schengen, the EU's Single Market, and its Customs Union.

The Cyprus Presidency has worked diligently on this issue. This is a milestone for EU-UK relations and it paves the way for a stronger, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking partnership. This agreement will be beneficial for the people in the region and for the EU as a whole.

Christina Rafti, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU