Posted on 11/16/2013 6:50:46 PM PST by Olog-hai
There is no evidence Spain broke EU law by imposing tight controls at its border with Gibraltar, the European Union executive said on Friday, urging both sides to act to ease bottlenecks that strained relations between London and Madrid.
The European Commission sent inspectors to the British territory in September after Britain and Gibraltar complained to Brussels that Spain was applying overzealous border controls, causing long lines for workers and tourists entering and leaving the rocky outcrop near the tip of southern Spain.
“The Commission has not found evidence to conclude that the checks on persons and goods as operated by the Spanish authorities at the crossing point … have infringed the relevant provisions of Union law,” it said in a statement.
Britain said it was confident that Spain was breaking EU law by imposing “politically-motivated” checks at its border with Gibraltar. For its part, Spain, which wants to reclaim Gibraltar three centuries after ceding it to Britain in a treaty, said the Commission had backed its position. …
(Excerpt) Read more at freerepublic.com ...
I suspect the Brits are keeping Gibraltar for the same reason as the Falklands — because of the Brit citizens living there.
The Blame in Spain Falls Mainly on the Spain.
Op, your links to the main article are wrong.
Sorry UK. Gibraltar is either yours or it isn’t. You can’t go running to the EU nannies today and ignore them tomorrow. If Spain wants to play rough, seal the damn border from the British side and resupply by sea or air.
Brits it Gibraltar sure do not want to become nationals of a country w 25% unemployment and an economic basketcase
Since Britain’s no longer a major power, there doesn’t seem to be much strategic reason to keep Gibraltar.
It was Spain that went to the “EU nannies” at first; that’s how the Commission suddenly “agrees” with them.
Besides, it was part of the whole “Europe of the Regions” plan anyhow.
So just hand it off to the new Empire?
The Commonwealth still exists. The people in Gibraltar don’t want to be part of Spain.
No, they keep it. For the sake of their people. Just not for any strategic reason.
"Historically it was an incredibly important military base. It is less so now. When you look at the kinds of military operations Gibraltar was involved in the past, like World War II, these were clearly enormous military operations of a scale that does not happen anymore," he said.
"In terms of its position I think it is more important for its place on the shipping lane, as a refuelling stop."
Britain also values the key role Gibraltar plays in its electronic surveillance operations, said Romero.
Good article.
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