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Cross Frontier Group welcomes new members and renewed border focus

The Cross Frontier Group formally welcomed the Chamber of Commerce of the Campo de Gibraltar and the Cadiz Confederation of Businesses last Friday, stressing a renewed focus on the frontier issues in light of Brexit.

The Group’s statutes were modified and re-signed to reflect the changes arising when both parties joined last year.

President of the CFG Manolo Triano highlighted that despite recent changes the membership must remember to draw its focus to the frontier, and noted positive steps recently taken by politicians.

Mr Triano was pleased of the progress made by President of Andalucia Susana Díaz and Chief Fabian Picardo at a meeting in Seville last week.

“We are on the right lines,” he said.

He added the group would continue working towards cross-border cooperation despite Brexit, and that politicians should take note of what effects Brexit could have on the 300,000 people that live in Southern Spain who are not leaving the European Union.

“It is important to point out this group that began slowly has formed part of civil society in all sectors of co-operation and collaboration between Gibraltar and the wider region,” Mr Triano said.

“We all have very different lives, but here we are together, and we have all demonstrated we can speak out about our mutual interests.”

“This has been the result of our work, which started with a focus on the border issues that years later have still not been resolved.”

Mr Triano added Brexit has proved to be another hurdle in the plight for border co-operation, and any possible consequences need to be assessed.

He stressed this gave the Group an opportunity to return to its “roots” and look deeper into the problems at the frontier.

The issues, he added, need to be sorted to achieve “normality” at the frontier, and highlighted the recent queues.

“We must not forget that part of our work,” Mr Triano said.

“It is the reason for our inception and we need to continue putting our focus into free movement at the border.”

The Group, he said, have been “not satisfied” with the recent queues and the “negative impact” this could have on citizens.

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