Cabinet reviews ‘draft’ treaty text, statement to follow ‘very shortly’ 

Government ministers have in recent days been reviewing a draft text of the UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar, Parliament was told on Tuesday. 

While the UK and the EU continue the legal review of the text before proceeding to the ratification stage, news that the Cabinet has been analysing a draft version suggests the this phase of the process may be nearing completion. 

The issue emerged during question time as the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi, pressed Justice Minister Nigel Feetham on what the treaty would mean for police resources going forward. 

Mr Feetham, much to Mr Azopardi’s evident frustration, replied that this was a matter being handled primarily by the Chief Minister, but that the Government was awaiting detailed recommendations from the Royal Gibraltar Police. 

He reminded Parliament that the Chief Minister had previously addressed aspects of these new demands, including the provision of a permanent presence at the border once the treaty was in place. 

“These are complex subjects,” Mr Feetham said.  

“You wouldn't expect the RGP at this stage necessarily to themselves have all the answers to the questions.” 

In replying, however, Mr Feetham also revealed that Cabinet had met last week and again this week to “do a text review of the treaty”. 

He said the Government would be in a position to make a statement on this and the timing around the process going forward “very shortly”. 

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, a key member of the Gibraltar Government’s treaty negotiating team, later added further clarity and stressed that what was being analysed by the Cabinet was a draft text. 

“In terms of the treaty, there is no agreed treaty text as yet, in the sense that as you know there is a legal scrub going on and the legal scrub has not been completed,” he told Parliament.  

“So what is being looked at that [Mr Feetham] referred to is a draft.” 

Responding to Opposition supplementary questions on the treaty’s impact on law enforcement, Dr Garcia said the Government, the Attorney General and law enforcement agencies were “obviously” engaged on these matters but would need notice of a question in order to provide exact details on resources. 

He also told the GSD that the Government was currently assessing resourcing needs in both Gibraltar House in London and Gibraltar House in Brussels as a result of the treaty.