Cabinet approves treaty text 

Gibraltar Government ministers have approved the text of the UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar’s future relations with the bloc, No.6 Convent Place said. 

The Cabinet has over the past fortnight reviewed a version of the text that had not yet undergone legal review by the UK and the EU, but No.6 said it is “unlikely” that any political changes will arise during that ongoing process. 

The Cabinet was taken through the different sections of the treaty and associated documents by the Attorney General Michael Llamas during six lengthy meetings over the past two weeks.  

Both the current Cabinet and the previous one had been closely consulted throughout the negotiating process over several years.  

The Attorney General has led on the detailed, technical areas of the treaty negotiation, while Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia have led the political negotiation.  

The Cabinet has now approved the treaty for ratification subject to there being no changes to the meaning of the text approved during the legal review.  

Once the final text emerges, this will be taken to the Gibraltar Parliament on an amendable motion for debate.  

The approval of the Gibraltar Parliament will be the signal to the UK to continue with its own procedures to ratify the treaty.  

“I am delighted that the Cabinet has given the green light to the ratification of the treaty,” Mr Picardo said.  

“There will be a full debate in the Gibraltar Parliament.” 

“The Cabinet held six lengthy sessions, each over three hours, to comprehensively go through the letter of the text.” 

“Ministers were already aware of all the issues in the treaty, as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister have been briefing and updating the Cabinet regularly on all issues.”