The Spanish government has postponed the symbolic demolition of the Gibraltar ‘Verja’ from 13 July to 15 July out of respect for national mourning declared after the Los Gallardos wildfire. The event, to be attended by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares in La Línea, will mark the end of the physical fence that has divided Gibraltar from Spain since 1910. On 14 July in Brussels, the EU and the United Kingdom will sign the long-awaited post-Brexit Treaty on Gibraltar. The accord integrates the Rock into the Schengen area, transfers air-side border checks to Gibraltar Airport and creates a joint customs zone designed to facilitate daily cross-border commuting for more than 15,000 workers. For companies operating in the Campo de Gibraltar, the removal of routine passport control promises faster journeys for staff shuttling between Gibraltar headquarters and Spanish logistics sites. However, HR departments should note that non-Schengen nationals will still require visas or ETIAS travel authorisations once the EU system launches in 2027. Customs brokers anticipate a six-month transition period before full electronic declarations replace current car-lane inspections. Local authorities are preparing infrastructure works to turn the former fence line into a pedestrian boulevard symbolising a “shared prosperity zone”. Real-estate analysts expect office demand on the Spanish side to rise, echoing Luxembourg’s cross-border boom after Schengen expansion.
Source: Euronews / Europa Press
