Jul 03 - Commission to Produce Further Report on Frontier Situation
The Government of Gibraltar today welcomed yesterday’s visit of the European Commission delegation, which they note, follows their first inspection in September 2013, of frontier systems, and the lengthy delays experienced by those crossing the border.
The Government insists that the Commission experienced first hand ‘the way in which the Gibraltar Government has complied with the implementation of the recommendations made to Gibraltar. This has included infrastructural, administrative and proposed legislative changes. The most visible of the first are the additional lanes to enter Gibraltar, the barriers on each lane for vehicles exiting Gibraltar and the construction of a car search facility that can be used for both incoming and outgoing traffic.’
Commenting on the visit, Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Joseph Garcia said that it is expected that the Commission takes note of the fact that Spain have not started to implement their recommendations, made by the Commission following the last visit. He added, ‘Our understanding is that they will go to the Spanish side of the frontier and then go back to Brussels where they will produce another report into what they have seen.
‘There are a number of measures that the Commission could take culminating in opening infraction proceedings against Spain. They could also deploy a permanent monitor to the border for a fixed period of time. We would very much welcome this. We have nothing to hide.
‘It was to be expected that there was no frontier queue while the Minister for Europe was in Gibraltar yesterday and that there was no queue while the Commission inspectors were in Gibraltar today. Once they have left the area, the Spanish frontier authorities will then continue with their flagrant violation of the right to freedom of movement of EU nationals through an internal border of the European Union.
‘The Government will continue to send the Commission statistical data, photographs and other evidence of the unlawful and disproportionate controls being exercised by Spain at its frontier with Gibraltar. We will continue to take the issue to the EU in order to keep it alive.’
