For Gibraltar, the border is ‘90% of Brexit’

Ensuring continued border fluidity is ‘90% of the Brexit challenge’ for Gibraltar, deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said yesterday, even as he insisted that potential solutions already existed.
Addressing delegates at a conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Dr Garcia said EU law already allowed for flexible controls on cross-border commuters in certain situations.
And he said the Gibraltar Government continued to explore whether it would be possible for the Rock to join the Schengen area even after the UK left the bloc.
The parliamentary meeting held on the Rock yesterday debated how Gibraltar will face challenges posed by Brexit, in particular at the land frontier.
Dr Garcia addressed some 40 parliamentarians from 11 Commonwealth countries at the 47th Regional Conference of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region [BIMR] in Gibraltar.
A panel including Dr Garcia, Scottish MSP Tavish Scott and Deputy Greffier of the States of Jersey Lisa Hart discussed the effect of Brexit on the Region and turning to the Commonwealth post-Brexit.
“One solution which has been floated is the possibility of Gibraltar joining the Schengen area, even if the UK is not in the EU,” Dr Garcia told parliamentarians yesterday.
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