Gibraltar and Spain agree open border

New opportunities for Spain and Gibraltar - 27th July 2026

Spain and Gibraltar have removed the border fence that separated them for 118 years. They've agreed a new treaty which allows people to enter and leave Gibraltar without passport checks.

Gibraltar's a Mediterranean port that's owned by the UK. It has 40,000 residents, who live in an area less than 7 square kilometres. 15,000 people who work in Gibraltar live across the border in Spain.

Brexit meant that Gibraltar was no longer in the EU. This increased border controls, which caused queues of up to 7 hours.

The long queues regularly made employees late for work. Border checks also delayed deliveries to shops, so products weren't always available. Far fewer tourists entered Spain from Gibraltar too.

The treaty was agreed after four years of diplomatic talks. It was signed by the EU, Gibraltar, Spain and the UK. Gibraltar keeps its British sovereignty. But it's agreed to follow some EU rules.

One major change is to EU Schengen border checks. These now happen at Gibraltar's port and airport. Another change helps employees. Workers from Spain and Gibraltar have equal rights.

Spain still says that it should own Gibraltar. But Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says that cooperation's important. The future is "full of opportunities" for the region.