Lords committee launches Gibraltar Brexit inquiry

The EU Select Committee of the House of Lords has launched a new short inquiry on the implications of Brexit for Gibraltar.

The committee will meet next week and take evidence from Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia and Attorney General Michael Llamas.

“Gibraltar is in a unique constitutional position as a British Overseas Territory within the European Union,” the committee said in announcing its inquiry.

“Its citizens participated in the June referendum, and voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU.”

The inquiry will examine several areas, including:

• Reaction in Gibraltar to the referendum;

• Gibraltar's existing relationship with the EU, and how it is likely to be affected by Brexit;

• The risks and opportunities that Brexit will present for Gibraltar;

• The impact of Brexit on Gibraltar's relationship with Spain

Gibraltar's relationship with the EU post-Brexit;

• The structures for communicating Gibraltar's concerns and priorities to the UK Government as negotiations proceed.

Although the Committee is not issuing a formal Call for Evidence, it welcomes any submissions on the above issues and any other related matters of interest.

Any such submissions should be sent to euclords@parliament.uk by 16 January 2016.

The committee also plans to launch further short inquiries into the constitutional implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies and the UK’s devolved institutions.