Administrative Arrangement between the United Kingdom, in respect of Gibraltar, and Spain on Implementation

An administrative arrangement on implementation between the United Kingdom (UK), for Gibraltar, and Spain, which it calls together the Participants (each one a Participant). It notes that, in it, Agreement means the treaty between the European Union (EU) and the UK on Gibraltar, as published in the Official Journal of the EU with the date 14 July 2026, marked as not yet published. It notes that the arrangement sets out the practical arrangements referred to in the treaty, and that it is made under, and is subject to, the principles set out in the treaty and, in particular, to another article of the treaty. It notes that neither the arrangement nor any activity or measure taken in applying it or as a result of it implies any change to the respective legal positions of Spain and of the UK on sovereignty and jurisdiction in relation to Gibraltar. It also notes that the arrangement, arrangements related to it, and any measures, instruments or conduct taken in applying it, as a result of it or under it, do not change, and will not otherwise affect, the respective legal positions of Spain or of the UK on sovereignty and jurisdiction, and will not be the basis for any assertion or denial of sovereignty, including in legal proceedings or otherwise. The Participants then state that they have decided as follows.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the UK, for Gibraltar, and Spain will each be responsible for putting their own parts of the treaty into practice.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the Participants will cooperate on implementation as necessary.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, a joint working group on implementation will be set up. It will provide a forum for closer cooperation, the exchange of information and the coordination of operational collaboration on putting the treaty into practice.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will also monitor and cooperate on arrangements to ease the flow of goods and people between the signing of the treaty and its entry into force.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will meet at least once a month, or whenever the Participants consider it appropriate.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, each Participant will have an equal number of members in the joint working group on implementation and will tell the other which members it has appointed and of any possible changes.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will include, for Spain, representatives of the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation".

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will include, for the UK, for Gibraltar, representatives of the competent authorities of the UK, for Gibraltar, and of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the European Commission will be invited to observe the meetings of the joint working group on implementation.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will adopt its own rules of procedure and will work by joint decision of the Participants.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, each Participant will develop implementation plans to put its own parts of the treaty into practice. These plans will include details of removing each Participant's own physical infrastructure, and they will be shared and discussed through the joint working group on implementation.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect, the joint working group on implementation will develop a shared implementation plan for the relevant parts of the treaty, including building the Second Line Checks Area at the airport.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect will take effect on the date of the last signature, and will start operating from the date the treaty enters into force.

Either Participant may end the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect by written notice through diplomatic channels. The arrangement will then cease to have effect on the first day of the twelfth month after the date of the notice. If the treaty is terminated, this arrangement will cease to be in force.

This is the closing statement of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect. It records that the text above sets out the understandings reached between the UK, for Gibraltar, and Spain on the matters it deals with.

Signed at Madrid on 25 June 2026: for the UK, for Gibraltar, by Sir Alex Ellis, Ambassador to Spain and Andorra; and for Spain, by Carlos Moreno Blanco, Secretary General for the European Union.

This annex to the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect sets out the Spanish implementation plan. The plan aims to comply with the treaty's mandate to remove all physical checks, controls and barriers on people and goods moving between Spain and Gibraltar. The measures needed to carry out the plan are coordinated by TRAGSA, the Spanish administration's in-house company, which has drawn up a technical proposal with two distinct phases in time and three different lines of action. The division into phases will allow the most urgent measures to be completed before the provisional application of the treaty, while other measures are to be finalised at a later date. In the first phase, the following actions will be completed before 15 July 2026. Works to divert goods vehicle traffic: to free the space needed to build the extension of the airport, a new road for goods vehicles and associated development works will be built, including adjustments to the layout of the customs area and the demarcation of roads and vehicle checkpoints, in line with the operational requirements communicated by the Spanish Tax Administration Agency. Building a temporary module attached to the airport: to allow controls of people and goods while the definitive extension to the airport is built, a temporary structure will be put up for use as border control facilities, in line with the requirements communicated by the Ministry of the Interior and the Finance Ministry. Removal of current infrastructure: to comply with the treaty's mandate to remove all physical checks, controls and barriers, the plan includes the removal of all infrastructure linked to the current Fence (for example shelters, canopies, cameras and fencing) and the demolition of the buildings currently used to manage border traffic, except those needed to carry out controls until the new infrastructure is put up. In the second phase, the following actions will be completed before 1 January 2028. Building the definitive airport extension: two annexes to the current airport terminal will be built at its north-eastern and north-western corners, to allow the competent authorities of the EU to control people and goods; the authorities of Spain will carry out this construction jointly with the competent authorities of the UK, for Gibraltar. Removal of current infrastructure: the demolition of all the buildings owned by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance that are now used to manage border and customs control will be completed once the infrastructure needed for the competent authorities of the EU to control people and goods is definitively in place; this includes removing the building used for customs clearance of goods and its car park, and various buildings run by the National Police and the Guardia Civil next to the current border crossing point.

This annex to the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on putting the treaty into effect sets out the implementation plan of the UK, for Gibraltar. The plan aims to comply with the treaty's mandate to remove all physical checks, controls and barriers on people and goods moving between Spain and Gibraltar. The measures needed to carry out the plan are coordinated by the Office of the Chief Technical Officer of the Gibraltar Government, which has drawn up a technical proposal with two distinct phases in time and three different lines of action. The division into phases will allow the most urgent measures to be completed before the provisional application of the treaty, while other measures are to be finalised at a later date. In the first phase, the following actions will be completed before 15 July 2026. Works to divert goods vehicle traffic: no changes are required to the position of the current access point for goods vehicles, as it will link into the new road built on the Spanish side. Adaptations within the current air terminal to allow controls of people and goods while the definitive extension to the airport is built: these will include facilities for carrying out second line checks and a corridor for escorting passengers to an aircraft whenever a refusal of entry needs to be carried out; the same item also lists the installation of signs giving visual identification of Schengen border control. Removal of current infrastructure: to comply with the treaty's mandate to remove all physical checks, controls and barriers, the plan includes the removal of all physical infrastructure related to the movement of people between the EU and Gibraltar (for example shelters, canopies, buildings and fencing) and the demolition of the buildings currently used to manage border traffic, except those needed to carry out controls until the new infrastructure is put up; it will also include the demolition of the whole border fence. In the second phase, the following actions will be completed before 1 January 2028. Works to divert goods vehicle traffic: minor changes to the position of the goods vehicle entrance, to make room for the working space needed to build the extension of the air terminal; this will take place after the sections of border fence next to it are removed. Building the definitive airport extension: two annexes to the current airport terminal will be built at its north-eastern and north-western corners, to allow the competent authorities of the UK, for Gibraltar, to control people and goods; the authorities of Spain will carry out this construction jointly with the competent authorities of the UK, for Gibraltar. Removal of current infrastructure: the demolition of the main building at the entrance into Gibraltar, now used by the Borders & Coastguard Agency and HM Customs to manage border and customs controls, will be completed.