Gibraltar Government publishes draft legislation for EU withdrawal

The Government of Gibraltar has published the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill for Gibraltar, a crucial legislative step ahead of the Rock’s departure from the European Union alongside the UK on January 31.

This follows the third reading of the UK Bill in the House of Commons at the end of last week and its adoption by a large majority in the UK Parliament. The UK Bill must now be debated in the House of Lords.

The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill provides the mechanism to give effect in Gibraltar to the Withdrawal Agreement that was concluded between the United Kingdom and the European Union first in November 2018 and then in October 2019.

The draft legislation allows for the continued application of EU law in Gibraltar for the implementation period of the Withdrawal Agreement, which currently runs to the end of 2020.

“It also gives rights arising out of the Withdrawal Agreement to certain EU citizens in Gibraltar, provides for matters relating to the application of the agreement and creates powers to allow the implementation of the withdrawal agreement, including in relation to separation matters and the protocol to the agreement on Gibraltar,” according to the Bill’s explanatory memorandum.

The Bill will be presented to the Gibraltar Parliament before the end of the month by the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, who is the minister with responsibility for work related to Gibraltar’s departure from the EU.