IMA fact-finding trip hears concerns about border uncertainty

Uncertainty about border fluidity against the backdrop of treaty talks was one of the main issues raised during a drop-in session organised by the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements [IMA] in Gibraltar this week.

The IMA is an independent UK statutory body tasked with ensuring the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens living in the UK and Gibraltar are upheld following Brexit.

Under the Withdrawal Agreement, EU citizens who derived rights in the UK and Gibraltar under EU law prior to the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020, have those rights safeguarded and preserved. The agreement offered similar protection to British citizens – including from Gibraltar – who derived rights under EU law in EU member states.

Among the IMA officials in Gibraltar this week was Miranda Biddle, its chief executive.

“There are many people in Gibraltar who remember what it was like when the border was totally closed. So it's a live topic of conversation,” she said.

“And if you've not experienced that, whether you're an EU citizen, Gibraltarian or British, it's that I don't know what I don't know. Are things going to change?

In England, we often say the main topic of conversation is the weather. Here it is how long it's taking you to get over the border.”

“Yes, if you're an EU resident here, you can move between the countries more quickly and easily and frontier workers can too.”

But there's that fear of will it change? What will happen? When will we know? What will that mean for us?”

“That was coming across very clearly.”

She also explained that a common issue raised – much the same as in the UK - was a lack of awareness about the rights and protections that many EU citizens enjoy despite Brexit.

“I think some of what we were getting from citizens was just ‘I do not know what I do not know, I do not always know who to turn to or where to get advice from,’” Ms Biddle said.

Also, “challenges of integrating into a new community. Some people have been here a long time. Some people have come after Brexit.”

Other issues raised related to access to housing, the economy, job security and transferable benefits.

During the visit, the IMA team met with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, Attorney General Michael Llamas, the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi, and the Director General of the GHA, Kevin McGee, and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

“That was really helpful,” she said.

“It was an opportunity to remind them that we're here, this is what we do, this is our remit.”

“There is an MOU between us and the Gibraltar Government in terms of statutory responsibilities that we have, seeking information, receiving data to our requests and moving matters forward.”

“It was also a chance to ask, ‘are we missing things?’”

“Are things not being raised with us that we need to be aware of? What's the context of the challenge?”

The IMA and Ms Biddle will return to Gibraltar in the future.

The group also emphasised the need for citizens to report issues to the IMA and encouraged open communication to address challenges faced by EU residents in Gibraltar.

“The IMA has been going for three years and we have a responsibility for EU residents that reside in Gibraltar, but I think it's quite difficult when you're looking from a distance,” she said.

“Sometimes I think you need to be here and see it for yourself and understand.”