Gibraltar to join Schengen?

[2H76]

Gibraltar to join Schengen, meaning border checks for Brits - but not Spain

The London Economic - In the Brexit vote, 96 per cent of Gibraltarians voted for Britain to remain in the EU - Politics

www.thelondoneconomic.com

It makes sense to keep the border with Spain free and open, so no ID required to pass betweent the two. However, passengers from the UK will be required to show their passport at the airport (we already do) and from 2023 complete the ETIAS short-stay visa waiver.

That means as technically Gibraltar is British, we will need a visa-waiver to travel within our own country. Er, great. If the ETIAS isn't required, then wouldn't that be a way for British individuls "banned" from the EU (criminals, basically) to get into the EU via the back door?

Of more concern to me is that currently I don't need any kind of working or residence permit/visa to live, work or retire in Gib. If Gib joins Schengen, would that need to change, after all I would be searching for residency in Gib alone, not Spain, so should be under Gib rules?

 

[The Sun God]

the Gibraltar situation could be about to get fiendishly complicated. the EU will back Spanish claims to the rock so the Spanish will turn the screw. they will see that they have no reason to do the Brits any favours, when the Brits voted out of the existing arrangement and can also argue that everyone in Gibraltar voted to stay in the EU. However everyone being part of NATO means any military incursions between friendly states are illegal whilst the British and Spanish police also have a very good relationship which is how they nailed one of the stephen lawrence killers on a drugs charge in Barcelona. so try and disentangle all that... as for the visa waiver, it could cause chaos esp with those Brits who never bothered to formalise their stay in Spain (potentially thousands...) how do the Spanish then determine tourists from expats?

 

[2H76]

If the border is open, won't Gibraltar have to charge full taxes on things like cigs and booze (although booze is probably cheaper in Spain anyway) otherwise there will be an industry in "smuggling" tax-free booty into Spain and re-selling.

To a degree that happens anyway with the UK, we buy cheap duty-paid stuff in France and bring as much as we can carry home for personal use. That ends this month (another Brexit dividend) so any Spaniard entering Gibraltar will be allowed to take back as much as they want, the Spanish authorities would have to catch them selling it on.

 

[tclubber]

If the border is open, won't Gibraltar have to charge full taxes on things like cigs and booze (although booze is probably cheaper in Spain anyway) otherwise there will be an industry in "smuggling" tax-free booty into Spain and re-selling.

They can keep customs - just like Switzerland is in Schengen, but not in the EU customs zone.

 

[2H76]

They can keep customs - just like Switzerland is in Schengen, but not in the EU customs zone.

Indeed, excellent point, but if they do then they will probably check as many as they do now, meaning the border is not much faster - at least if you are pulled out!

Technically it would be the same as flying from Jersey to Southampton - no immigration checks but you can be asked to "follow me, sir"!!