Cross-Frontier Group urges ‘political leadership’ to avoid 'disastrous' no deal

The Cross-Frontier Group called on treaty negotiators to show “political leadership” and reach an agreement for Gibraltar’s post-Brexit relations with the EU, warning that no deal could bring “disastrous consequences” for communities on either side of the border.

The warning came amid news that Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, will fly to London on Monday to meet David Lammy, his counterpart.

The meeting is wide-ranging but is expected to cover too the Gibraltar treaty negotiation.

In a statement on Friday, the group – which brings together business organisations and trade unions from both sides of the border – repeated its concern over the “lack of progress” in the negotiation for a treaty, “given its repercussions on the economic and social relationships between both communities”.

“The uncertainty that has affected this zone for such a long period is unacceptable and [the Cross-Frontier Group] warn of the disastrous consequences that a no-deal outcome in the negotiation process could bring,” it said in a statement.

“We fail to understand how, after the framework agreement was reached in the New Year’s Eve Agreement, political leaders are still unable to sign a treaty that provides future certainty for both the Campo de Gibraltar and Gibraltar.”

The Group welcomed statements of goodwill repeatedly made by representatives of each of the negotiating parties but reiterated its demand that negotiators “end this precarious situation” with an agreement that eliminates passport controls at the frontier, allows for the development of the long-promised ‘zone of shared prosperity’ and encourages good neighbourly relations.

“The organisations that make up the Cross-Frontier Group reaffirm their belief that any no-deal scenario would be devastating for citizens of the Campo de Gibraltar and Gibraltar, and the negotiators should take responsibility for what would essentially represent a massive political failure on their part,” the group said.

Members of the Cross-Frontier Group include the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce, the GGCA, the GFSB, the GTA/NASUWT, Unite the Union, the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of the Province of Cádiz, APYMEL, Comisiones Obreras, UGT and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of the Campo de Gibraltar.