Press Release: Commission reports on the border situation in La Línea (Spain) and Gibraltar (UK) / EU executive rejects Gibraltar complaint

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details IP/13/1086 (15.11.13)
Publication Date 15/11/2013
Content Type

On 15 November 2013, the European Commission sent letters to the authorities of Spain and the United Kingdom addressing the issues raised by the border and customs controls between Spain and Gibraltar.

On 25 September 2013, the European Commission sent a technical fact-finding mission to La Línea (Spain) and Gibraltar (UK) since concerns had been raised regarding border checks and tobacco smuggling from Gibraltar to Spain.

But the Commission has not found evidence to conclude that the checks on persons and goods as operated by the Spanish authorities at the crossing point of La Línea de la Concepción have infringed the relevant provisions of Union law.

The United Kingdom said on the 19 November 2013 that it had summoned the Spanish Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Federico Trillo, to express the government’s concerns about ongoing incursions by Spanish vessels in territorial waters around Gibraltar.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-1086_en.htm
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Gibraltar: European Commission sends a technical fact finding mission http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-gibraltar-european-commission-sends-a-technical-fact-finding-mission/
BBC News, 15.11.13: Spain's Gibraltar checks lawful - EU http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24954881
Deutsche Welle, 15.11.13: EU executive rejects Gibraltar complaint http://dw.de/p/1AIKR
El País, 15.11.13: Bruselas avala los controles en Gibraltar pero pide mejoras en el paso fronterizo http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2013/11/15/actualidad/1384515059_298648.html
El País, 15.11.13: Los trabajadores españoles en Gibraltar, en contra del dictamen sobre los controles http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2013/11/15/andalucia/1384519777_182467.html
EurActiv, 15.11.13: EU says Spanish controls at Gibraltar border do not break law http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/eu-spanish-controls-gibraltar-bo-news-531733
EUObserver, 18.11.13: Spanish border checks on Gibraltar not illegal, EU says http://euobserver.com/news/122127
BBC News, 19.11.13: Gibraltar: UK summons Spanish ambassador http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25008237
El País, 19.11.13: UK summons Spain’s envoy over Gibraltar for third time http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/11/19/inenglish/1384889394_962820.html
UK: FCO: Press Release, 19.11.13: UK condemns unlawful and provocative Spanish incursion https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-condemns-unlawful-and-provocative-spanish-incursion
El País, 27.11.13: UK takes Spain to task over diplomatic bag tampering http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/11/27/inenglish/1385577074_657122.html
BBC News, 27.11.13: Gibraltar bag incident: Spain 'promises no repeat', says UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25116641

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