Nov 21 - EU Commission Failed to Condemn Clearly Politically Driven Frontier Checks – Claims GSD
The GSD Opposition condemns the recent queues in the strongest possible terms. It is in this unhappy and worrying context that the GSD Opposition comments on the European Commission's decision of last Friday as it promised to do last week. The GSD continues to take a very serious view of the Commission's failure to condemn the clearly politically driven nature of Spain's recent measures at the frontier.
To reduce 6-7 hour queues for cars, lengthy pedestrian queues and the blocking of goods, to an analysis of how to address challenging 'management' at the frontier, represents a complete failure in recognising, let alone dealing with, the real issue at hand. For this reason, the Opposition repeats its deep disappointment at the Commission's conclusions.
The Opposition laments, ‘How it is possible that the Commission has reached a finding that there is 'no evidence' that the checks operated by the Spanish authorities at the frontier have infringed EU law is to put it mildly, astounding. The GSD does not, in the circumstances, harbour much hope that the EU's promise of further monitoring within 6 months, will render an improvement on its current position. The Opposition therefore shares the opinions expressed by MEPs such as Sir Graham Watson (who described the Commission's statement as 'deeply disappointing') as well as those of the Conservative party MEPs and other pressure groups locally. That the pressure we have endured at the frontier, following the creation of the artificial reef, has not attracted condemnation, is reprehensible.
In a statement released today, the GSD commented, ‘It is certainly not possible for the Opposition to place the positive spin that the Government seeks to place on the Commission's decision and we certainly do not see why the Government itself should be doing so. What this episode also shows is that Gibraltar cannot pin its hopes on the EU Commission or any outside authority or third party when trying to deal with our relations with Spain. The management of those relations are for the Gibraltar Government to do so in calm, measured and intelligent way. ‘However welcome may be the suggested measures for practical improvements to the fluidity at the frontier, the fact that the Commission has expressly chosen to avoid condemnation of the political drive on the part of Spain to attempt to ruin our economy and sustainability as a community, is very concerning.
‘Worse still is that tobacco smuggling should be accepted by an official body such as this, as the reason for the justification behind increased checks. Whilst the GSD supports measures which curb tobacco smuggling as this issue should have been successfully used by the Spanish Government (and now accepted by the EU) as the justification behind which to exert further political pressure on Gibraltar. Only last week it was reported that the Spanish Government's representative in Andalusia said that the checks were in line with the EU and aimed at combatting cigarette smuggling, with Spain's Minister for European Affairs promising yesterday to maintain strict controls at the border.
‘The other related issue is that how we deal with our tobacco laws should be a matter for us. What we now have is a situation where an outside body is delving into our laws with the promise of further 'monitoring. In addition, the Commission uses politically insensitive language by failing to refer to the border separating Gibraltar and Spain as a 'frontier' and merely the 'crossing point of La Linea'. This insensitivity is also prevalent in the clear language of bilateralism referring to the UK and Spain and hardly ever to Gibraltar.
‘The GSD Opposition will continue to monitor this issue very closely especially in light of the Gibraltar Government's statement that it will continue to work with the UK on the commencement of infraction proceedings.’
