Agreements and Disagreements

1. The British and Spanish Governments desiring to strengthen their bilateral relations and thus to contribute to Western solidarity, intend, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Resolutions, to resolve, in a spirit of friendship, the Gibraltar problem.

2. Both Governments have therefore agreed to start negotiations aimed at overcoming all the differences between them on Gibraltar.

3. Both Governments have reached agreement on the re-establishment of direct communications in the region. The Spanish Government has decided to suspend the application of the measures at present in force. Both Governments have agreed that future cooperation should be on the basis of reciprocity and full equality of rights. They look forward to the further steps which will be taken on both sides which they believe will open the way to closer understanding between those directly concerned in the area.

4. To this end, both Governments will be prepared to consider any proposals which the other may wish to make, recognising the need to develop practical cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis.

5. The Spanish Government, in reaffirming its position on the re-establishment of the territorial integrity of Spain, restated its intention that in the outcome of the negotiations the interests of the Gibraltarians should be fully safeguarded. For its part the British Government will fully maintain its commitment to honour the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the Preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution.

6. Officials on both sides will meet as soon as possible to prepare the necessary practical steps which will permit the implementation of the proposals agreed to above. It is envisaged that these preparations will be completed not later than 1 June.

Brussels agreement

27th November 1984

The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe, and the Spanish Foreign Minister, His Excellency Sr Don Fernando Moran Lopez, held a meeting in Brussels on 27 November 1984 during which they agreed the way in which the Spanish and British Governments will apply the Lisbon Declaration of 10 April 1980 in all its parts.

These will involve simultaneously:

(a) The provision of equality and reciprocity of rights for Spaniards in Gibraltar and Gibraltarians in Spain. This will be implemented through the mutual concession of the rights which citizens of EC countries enjoy, taking into account the transitional periods and dero-gations agreed between Spain and the EC. The necessary legislative proposals to achieve this will be introduced in Spain and Gibraltar. As concerns paid employment, and recalling the general principle of community preference, this carries the implication that during the transitional period each side will be favourably disposed to each other’s citizens when granting work permits.

(b) The establishment of free movement of persons, vehicles and goods between Gibraltar and the neighbouring territory.

(c) The establishment of a negotiating process aimed at overcoming all the differences between them over Gibraltar and at promoting co-operation on a mutually beneficial basis on economic, cultural, touristic, aviation, military and environmental matters. Both sides accept that the issues will fully maintain its commitment to honour the wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble of the 1969 constitution.

Insofar as the airspace in the region of Gibraltar is concerned, the Spanish Government undertakes to take early actions necessary to allow safe and effective air communications.

There will be meetings for this purpose between the Spanish and British Foreign Ministers.

23-04-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR