In brief
Overnight on Sunday, crowds gathered at the Gibraltar‑Spain border as the 118‑year‑old fence was removed in a symbolic ceremony following the entry into force of a new treaty. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo used a rope to pull down the structure, marking Gibraltar’s inclusion in the EU’s Schengen Area of free movement. The event eased border checks for goods and people, with many celebrating the newfound freedom. This development signals a new era for Gibraltar, redefining its relationship with Europe after Brexit.
Late Sunday night, the 118‑year‑old Gibraltar‑Spain border fence was pulled down in a ceremonial act that signalled the end of a history of border controls between the British overseas territory and its EU neighbour.
The symbolic ceremony took place at midnight, when Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo used a rope to remove the fence. Hundreds of residents, traders and visitors gathered from both sides of the frontier to witness the moment and cheer the newfound freedom.
The operation followed a long‑negotiated treaty that now places Gibraltar within the EU’s Schengen Area, allowing for the freer movement of goods and people. Border checks have been eliminated and customs procedures streamlined, removing the residual vestiges of the time‑twenty‑year‑old separation.
Reports say that crowds swelled as citizens, businesses and Spanish locals celebrated the removal. The fence’s fall is seen as a watershed point for Gibraltar’s future relationship with Europe, presaging a new era of cooperation after the country’s departure from the UK in Brexit.
For more context, BBC reported earlier that the removal follows the 2023 agreement to abolish the traditional check‑points that had long divided the territory from Spain, paving the way for a seamless border‑crossing arrangement.
