Administrative Arrangement between the United Kingdom, in respect of Gibraltar, and Spain in relation to the Protocol on Social Security Co-ordination

An administrative arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK), for Gibraltar, and Spain, which it calls together the Participants, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination. 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 that protocol, and further practical details for putting into effect the protocol and an annex to the protocol which contains the protocol's implementing annex. It recalls a rule of the protocol that refers to deciding the means and procedures for carrying out the duty of cooperation on issuing documents, exchanging information, resolving conflicts, and making and settling claims concerning the protocol and its implementing annex. It notes that neither the arrangement nor any activity or measure taken in application of it or as a result of it implies any change to the legal positions of Spain and of the UK on sovereignty and jurisdiction in relation to Gibraltar. It also notes that this arrangement, any arrangements related to it, and any measures, instruments or conduct taken in applying it, as a result of it or under it, do not affect, and will not in any other way affect, the respective legal positions of Spain or of the UK on sovereignty and jurisdiction, and will not be the basis for claiming or denying sovereignty, including in legal proceedings or otherwise. The Participants have decided as follows.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, for its purposes, the definitions in a rule of that protocol and in a rule of the protocol's implementing annex will apply.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the liaison bodies of the Participants will be those defined in a rule of the protocol's implementing annex, and it lists them. For Spain: the National Social Security Institute, for all benefits and all regimes, except the Special Regime for Sea Workers, the Civil Service Pension Regime and Unemployment Benefits; the Social Institute for Mariners, for all benefits under the Special Regime for Sea Workers; the Directorate General for Social Security Organisation, for all benefits under the Civil Service Pension Regime; the Directorate General of the State Public Employment Service, for Unemployment Benefits; and the General Social Security Treasury, for determining the applicable legislation, recovery of contributions, offsetting and assistance with recovery. For the UK, for Gibraltar: the Gibraltar Department of Employment; the Gibraltar Department of Social Security; the Gibraltar Income Tax Office; the Gibraltar Health Authority; and, for processing healthcare claims and making and receiving payments related to them, the "United Kingdom National Health Services Business Services Authority".

In the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the Working Group means the Working Group set up under another article of this arrangement.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, in line with a rule of the protocol's implementing annex, for an interim period all forms and documents issued by the competent institutions in the format used immediately before the protocol comes into force will be valid for putting the protocol into effect and, where appropriate, will continue to be used for the exchange of information between the Participants. The Participants will decide, in line with another rule of the implementing annex, the structure, content and format of the forms and documents to be issued for putting the protocol into effect. The interim period will then come to an end.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants have decided that, during the interim period referred to in an earlier paragraph, the form for the statement of insurance periods to be taken into account when calculating an unemployment benefit will not be the portable form referred to in that paragraph, but the portable form separately agreed between the Participants and notified to the Working Group; and that the documents for the purposes of a rule of the protocol's implementing annex will be those referred to in another article of this arrangement.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the document referred to in a rule of the protocol's implementing annex will show that the posted worker is entitled to benefits in kind in Gibraltar, where the stay is in Gibraltar, or in Spain, where the stay is in Spain, under the conditions laid down in a rule of the protocol, on the same terms as those that apply to persons insured under the legislation of the UK, for Gibraltar, or under the legislation of Spain, as the case may be.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, for posted workers staying in Gibraltar, this document will be a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by the competent institution of Spain, together with the form issued by the competent institution of Spain as the statement of applicable legislation for the purposes of the protocol.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, for posted workers staying in Spain, this document will be a certificate in the form of a letter, issued by the competent institution of the UK, for Gibraltar, together with the form issued by the competent institution of the UK, for Gibraltar, as the statement of applicable legislation for the purposes of the protocol. The certificate will contain the same information and data provided for in EHICs, as set out in a 2009 decision on the technical specifications of the European Health Insurance Card, made by the Administrative Commission set up under a 2004 EU regulation on the coordination of social security systems.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the benefits in kind referred to in a rule of the protocol will mean the benefits in kind provided in the place of stay, in line with its legislation, which become necessary on medical grounds so that an insured person is not forced to return to Gibraltar or Spain, as the case may be, before the end of the planned duration of stay, to obtain the necessary treatment.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that when a person or a group of persons are exempted on request from compulsory sickness insurance, and are therefore not covered by a sickness insurance scheme to which the protocol applies, the institution of the other Participant will not, solely because of this exemption, become responsible for bearing the costs of benefits in kind or in cash provided to those persons or to a member of their family under a chapter of the protocol.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, in relation to Spain, the provisions of a chapter of the protocol on benefits in kind will not apply, except for one rule of the protocol, to persons entitled to benefits in kind solely under a special scheme for civil servants within the Spanish social security system. The institution of the UK, for Gibraltar, will not, on those grounds alone, become responsible for bearing the costs of benefits in kind or in cash provided to those persons or to members of their family.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that when the persons referred to in the two paragraphs before this one, and the members of their family, live in a place where the right to receive benefits in kind does not depend on conditions of insurance, or of activity as an employed or self-employed person, they will have to pay the full costs of benefits in kind provided in their place of residence.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is competent, requires the insured person to present a certificate in order to be entitled to cash benefits relating to incapacity for work under a rule of the protocol, the insured person will ask the doctor of the place of residence who established their state of health to certify their incapacity for work and how long it is likely to last.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the insured person will send the certificate to the competent institution within the time limit laid down by the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is competent.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where the doctors providing treatment in the place of residence do not issue certificates of incapacity for work, and such certificates are required under the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is competent, the person concerned will apply directly to the institution of the place of residence. That institution will immediately arrange for a medical assessment of the person's incapacity for work and for the certificate referred to in an earlier paragraph to be drawn up. The certificate will be sent on to the competent institution straight away.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that sending on the document referred to in the three paragraphs before this one will not free the insured person from meeting the obligations under the applicable legislation, in particular towards their employer. Where appropriate, the employer and/or the competent institution may ask the employee to take part in activities designed to promote and assist their return to employment. A heading then follows: the procedure to be followed by the institution of the place of residence.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, at the request of the competent institution, the institution of the place of residence will carry out any necessary administrative checks or medical examinations of the person concerned under the legislation that the institution of the place of residence applies. The institution of the place of residence will send the examining doctor's report, in particular on how long the incapacity for work is likely to last, to the competent institution without delay. A heading then follows: the procedure to be followed by the competent institution.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the competent institution will keep the right to have the insured person examined by a doctor of its choice.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the competent institution will pay the cash benefits directly to the person concerned and will, where necessary, tell the institution of the place of residence that it has done so. This does not affect what the second sentence of a rule of the protocol says.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, for applying a rule of the protocol, the particulars of an insured person's certificate of incapacity for work drawn up in the place of residence, on the basis of the medical findings of the examining doctor or institution, will have the same legal value as a certificate drawn up in Spain, or in the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is competent.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if the competent institution refuses the cash benefits, it will tell the insured person of its decision and, at the same time, the institution of the place of residence. A heading then follows: the procedure in the event of a stay in Spain when the UK, for Gibraltar, is competent, or in Gibraltar when Spain is competent.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the rules in the nine paragraphs before this one will also apply, with the changes needed, when the insured person stays in Spain when the UK, for Gibraltar, is competent, or stays in Gibraltar when Spain is competent.

An article of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, headed entitlement to benefits in kind and in cash at the place of stay. It says that, for applying a rule of the protocol and a rule of the protocol's implementing annex, the procedures set out in another article of this arrangement will apply, with the changes needed.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if an accident at work happens, or an occupational disease is diagnosed for the first time, in Spain when the UK, for Gibraltar, is competent, or in Gibraltar when Spain is competent, and national legislation requires a declaration or notification, that declaration or notification will be made under the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is competent. Where appropriate, this does not affect any other applicable legal provisions in force in the place where the accident at work happened or where the occupational disease was first medically diagnosed, which still apply in such cases. The declaration or notification will be addressed to the competent institution.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the institution of Spain, if the accident at work happened or the occupational disease was first diagnosed in Spain, or the institution of the UK, for Gibraltar, if the accident at work happened or the occupational disease was first diagnosed in Gibraltar, will tell the competent institution of medical certificates drawn up in Spain or Gibraltar, as the case may be.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where, because of an accident while travelling to or from work that happens in Spain when the UK, for Gibraltar, is competent, or in Gibraltar when Spain is competent, an inquiry is needed in the territory where the accident happened to decide any entitlement to relevant benefits, the competent institution may appoint a person, and it will inform the authorities of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, in whose territory the accident happened. The institutions will cooperate with each other to assess all relevant information and to consult the reports and any other documents relating to the accident.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, after treatment, a detailed report with medical certificates on the permanent consequences of the accident or disease, in particular the injured person's present state and the recovery or stabilisation of injuries, will be sent at the request of the competent institution. The relevant fees will be paid by the institution of the place of residence or stay, as the case may be, at the rate that institution applies, and charged to the competent institution.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, at the request of the institution of the place of residence or stay, as the case may be, the competent institution will tell it of the decision setting the date for the recovery or stabilisation of injuries and, where appropriate, of the decision on granting a pension.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where the competent institution disputes, under a rule of the protocol, that the legislation on accidents at work or occupational diseases applies, it will without delay inform the institution of the place of residence or stay which provided the benefits in kind, and those benefits will then be treated as sickness insurance benefits.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that when a final decision has been taken on that subject, the competent institution will, without delay, inform the institution of the place of residence or stay which provided the benefits in kind. Where an accident at work or occupational disease is not established, benefits in kind will continue to be provided as sickness benefits if the person concerned is entitled to them. Where an accident at work or occupational disease is established, the sickness benefits in kind provided to the person concerned will be treated as accident at work or occupational disease benefits from the date on which the accident at work happened or the occupational disease was first medically diagnosed.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the second subparagraph of a rule of the protocol's implementing annex will apply, with the changes needed.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, in the case referred to in a rule of the protocol, the declaration or notification of the occupational disease will be sent to the competent institution for occupational diseases of Spain or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is the last place under whose legislation the person concerned carried out an activity likely to cause that disease. When the institution that received the declaration or notification finds that an activity likely to cause the occupational disease in question was last carried out under the legislation of the other Participant, it will send the declaration or notification, and all accompanying certificates, to the corresponding institution of that Participant.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where the institution of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whichever is the last place under whose legislation the person concerned carried out an activity likely to cause the occupational disease in question, finds that the person concerned or their survivors do not meet the requirements of that legislation, among other reasons because the person concerned had never carried out in that territory an activity which caused the occupational disease, or because that institution does not recognise the occupational nature of the disease, that institution will send without delay the declaration or notification, and all accompanying certificates, including the findings and reports of medical examinations carried out by that institution, to the corresponding institution of the other territory.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if there is an appeal against a decision to refuse benefits taken by the institution of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, under whose legislation the person concerned carried out an activity likely to cause the occupational disease in question, that institution will inform the institution of the other territory to which the declaration or notification was sent, following the procedure set out in another article of this arrangement, and will later inform it when a final decision is reached.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where a person is entitled to benefits under the legislation applied by the institution to which the declaration or notification was sent, that institution will make the advance payments; their amount will be set, where appropriate, after consulting the institution which made the decision against which the appeal was lodged, and in a way that avoids overpayments. That other institution will pay back the advance payments made if, as a result of the appeal, it has to provide those benefits. That amount will then be deducted from the benefits due to the person concerned, following the procedure set out in another article of this arrangement.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the second subparagraph of another rule will also apply, with the changes needed.

An article of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, headed the aggravation (worsening) of an occupational disease. It says that, in the cases covered by a rule of the protocol, the claimant must give the institution of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, from which they are claiming entitlement to benefits, details of the benefits previously granted for the occupational disease in question. That institution may contact the previously competent institution to obtain the information it considers necessary.

An article of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, headed assessing the degree of incapacity where accidents at work or occupational diseases happened earlier or later. It says that where an earlier or later incapacity for work was caused by an accident that happened when the person concerned was subject to the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, which makes no distinction according to the origin of the incapacity to work, the competent institution, or the body notified by the competent authority of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, to whose legislation the person concerned was subject when the accident in question happened, will do two things. At the request of the competent institution of the other place, it will provide information on the degree of the earlier or later incapacity for work and, where possible, information that makes it possible to decide whether the incapacity is the result of an accident at work as the legislation applied in the other place understands it. And it will take into account the degree of incapacity caused by these earlier or later cases when deciding the right to benefits and their amount, in line with the applicable legislation.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that, to receive a pension or a supplementary allowance under the legislation of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, the person concerned or their survivors living in the territory of the other place will submit, where appropriate, a claim to the competent institution or to the institution of the place of residence, which will send it on to the competent institution.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the claim will contain the information required under the law applied by the competent institution.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination sets out special implementing measures. As regards Spain, the rules of a chapter of the protocol relating to benefits in kind will not apply, except for one rule of the protocol, to people entitled to benefits in kind only under a special scheme for civil servants. The institution of the UK, for Gibraltar, will not, for that reason alone, become responsible for bearing the costs of benefits in kind or in cash provided to those people or to members of their family.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, to receive benefits under type A legislation under a rule of the protocol, the claimant will submit a claim either to the institution of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, whose law applied at the time when the incapacity for work occurred that was followed by invalidity or by the worsening of that invalidity, or to the institution of the place of residence, which will forward the claim to the first institution.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, if sickness benefits in cash have been awarded, the date on which the period for awarding those benefits ends will, where appropriate, be treated as the date on which the pension claim was submitted.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, in the case set out in a rule of the protocol, the institution with which the person concerned was last insured will tell the institution that first paid the benefits the amount of the benefits under the applicable law and the date they start. From that date, the benefits due before the invalidity worsened will be withdrawn or reduced to the supplement set out in another rule of the protocol. Then comes the heading on submitting other claims for benefits.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, in situations other than those covered by an earlier paragraph of this article, the claimant will submit a claim to the institution of their place of residence or to the institution of the last place whose law applied. If the person concerned was never subject to the law applied by the institution of the place of residence, that institution will forward the claim to the institution of the last place whose law applied.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the date on which the claim was submitted will apply in all the institutions concerned.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, as an exception to the rule in the paragraph before, if the claimant, despite having been asked to, does not report that they have been employed or have resided in the other place, the date on which the claimant completes their first claim or submits a new claim for their missing periods of employment and/or residence in Spain or Gibraltar will be treated as the date the claim was submitted to the institution applying the law in question. This is so unless that law has more favourable provisions.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the claimant will submit the claim in line with the law applied by the institution named in either of two paragraphs of an earlier article of this arrangement, together with the supporting documents that law requires. In particular, the claimant will supply all available relevant information and supporting documents on periods of insurance (institutions, identification numbers), employment (employers) or self-employment (nature and place of activity) and residence (addresses) which may have been completed under other legislation, and on how long those periods lasted.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where, in line with a rule of the protocol, the claimant asks for the award of old-age benefits under the law of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, to be deferred, they will say so in their claim and specify under which law they ask for the deferment. To let the claimant use that right, the institutions concerned will, at the claimant's request, tell them all the information the institutions have, so that the claimant can assess the consequences of benefits being awarded at the same time or one after another which they might claim.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, if the claimant withdraws a claim for benefits under the law of Spain, or of the UK, for Gibraltar, that withdrawal will not be treated as withdrawing, at the same time, claims for benefits under the law of the other place.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the institution to which the claim for benefits is submitted or forwarded in line with a paragraph of an earlier article of this arrangement will be called the contact institution from here on. The institution of the place of residence will not be called the contact institution if the person concerned has never been subject to the law that institution applies. As well as investigating the claim for benefits under the law it applies, this institution, as contact institution, will promote the exchange of data, the communication of decisions and the steps needed for the institutions concerned to investigate the claim, and will give the claimant, on request, any information relevant to the cross-border aspects of the investigation and keep them informed of its progress. Then comes the heading on investigating claims for benefits under type A legislation under a rule of the protocol.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, for the investigation of claims for benefits under type A legislation referred to in a rule of the protocol, certain other articles of this arrangement do not apply. Then comes the heading on investigating other claims for benefits.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, for other claims for benefits, the contact institution sends, without delay, the claims and all the documents it has available and, where appropriate, the relevant documents supplied by the claimant, to the other institution in question, so that both can start investigating the claim at the same time. The contact institution tells the other institution of the periods of insurance or residence under its own legislation, says which documents will be submitted later, and adds to the claim as soon as possible.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the other institution in question tells the contact institution, as soon as possible, of the periods of insurance or residence under its own legislation.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the other institution in question calculates the amount of benefits in accordance with a rule of the protocol and tells the contact institution its decision, the amount of benefits due and any information needed for the purposes of other rules of the protocol.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, if the other institution in question finds, on the basis of the information referred to in the two paragraphs on sending the claim and on notifying periods of insurance or residence, that certain other rules of the protocol apply, it informs the contact institution.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, each institution will tell the claimant the decision it has taken under the applicable law. Each decision will state the remedies and the periods allowed for appeals. Once the contact institution has been told of the decision taken by the other institution, it will send the claimant and the other institution concerned a summary of those decisions.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where, after receiving the summary of the decisions, it appears to the claimant that their rights may have been harmed by the way the decisions taken by the institutions of Spain and of the UK, for Gibraltar, work together, the claimant will have the right to a review of the decisions by the institutions concerned, within the time limits set in each side's national law. Those time limits will start on the date the summary is received. The claimant will be told the result of the review in writing.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where a rule of the protocol applies, the contact institution will be the only institution authorised to take a decision on the claimant's degree of invalidity. It will take that decision as soon as it can determine whether the conditions for eligibility set in the applicable law are met, taking into account, where appropriate, other rules of the protocol. It will tell the other institution concerned of that decision without delay.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where the eligibility conditions set in the applicable law, other than those on the degree of invalidity, are not met, taking into account other rules of the protocol, the contact institution will tell the competent institution of the other place without delay. That institution will be authorised to take the decision on the claimant's degree of invalidity if the conditions for eligibility set in the applicable law are met.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, when eligibility is being determined, the matter may, if necessary, have to be referred back, under the same conditions, to the institution competent for invalidity of the Participant to whose law the claimant was first subject.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where a rule of the protocol does not apply, each institution will, in line with its own law, have the possibility of having the claimant examined by a medical doctor or other expert of its choice to determine the degree of invalidity. However, the institution of a Participant will take into account documents, medical reports and administrative information collected by the institution of the other Participant as if they had been drawn up in its own territory.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, despite a rule of the implementing annex, any institution which finds, while investigating a claim for benefits, that the claimant is entitled to an independent benefit under the applicable law, in line with a rule of the protocol, will pay that benefit without delay. That payment will be treated as provisional if the amount might be affected by the result of the claim investigation procedure.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, whenever it is clear from the information available that the claimant is entitled to a payment from an institution under a rule of the protocol, that institution will make an advance payment, of an amount as close as possible to the amount that will probably be paid under that rule.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, each institution which has to pay the provisional benefits or the advance payment set out in the two paragraphs before will tell the claimant without delay, drawing their attention specifically to the fact that the measure is provisional and to any rights of appeal under its law.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where benefits are calculated anew under certain rules of the protocol, another article of this arrangement (the article just before this one) will apply, with the changes needed.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where a benefit is calculated anew, withdrawn or suspended, the institution which took the decision will tell the person concerned without delay and will tell the other institution in respect of which the person concerned has an entitlement.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination sets out measures to speed up the pension calculation process. To make the investigation of claims and the payment of benefits easier and quicker, the institutions to whose law a person has been subject will: exchange with, or make available to, institutions of the other Participant the elements for identifying people who move from one applicable law to another, and together make sure that those identification elements are kept and match, or, failing that, give those people the means to access their identification elements directly; and, well enough before the minimum age for starting pension rights, or before an age to be set by law, exchange with, or make available to, the person concerned and institutions of the other Participant information (periods completed or other important elements) on the pension entitlements of people who have moved from one applicable law to another, or, failing that, tell those people of, or give them, the means to find out about the benefits they can expect to be entitled to.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where the applicable law includes rules for deciding which institution is responsible or which scheme applies, or for assigning periods of insurance to a specific scheme, those rules will be applied taking into account only periods of insurance completed under the law of the Participant concerned. This does not affect a rule of the protocol.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, where the applicable law includes rules for coordinating special schemes for civil servants and the general scheme for employed people, those rules will not be affected by the provisions of the protocol or of its implementing annex.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the competent institution, at the request of the institution of the place of residence, will immediately tell that institution of any circumstances it is aware of which may affect the entitlement to the supplementary benefits set out in a rule of the protocol, in particular the amount of the benefit awarded by the competent institution and whether the wholly unemployed person has found work or become self-employed in the place of competence. This does not affect the rules of the implementing annex on the mutual exchange of information between the competent institutions of Spain and of the UK, for Gibraltar.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, in addition, under a rule of the implementing annex, the Participants have decided that, as regards the mutual exchange of information between the competent institutions of Spain and of the UK, for Gibraltar, the competent institution, at the request of the institution of the place of residence, will immediately tell that institution of any circumstances it is aware of which may affect the granting or keeping of the right to the supplementary benefits set out in a rule of the protocol.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, in particular, for the purposes of applying for the supplementary benefit, the competent institution will provide information on the period, amount and status of the benefit it has granted, and on whether the periods of insurance covered under the law of the relevant Participant have been added together, in line with the form referred to in another article of this arrangement.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the competent institution will also provide information on whether the wholly unemployed person has found work or become self-employed within its jurisdiction.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination sets out how institutions reimburse each other. Reimbursements for the benefits in kind set out in rules of the protocol on benefits in kind in the place of work or stay will be worked out and made on the basis of actual spending, while those for the benefits in kind set out in rules of the protocol on benefits in kind in the place of residence will be made on the basis of lump sums.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the competent institution will reimburse the amount of healthcare costs worked out on the basis of actual spending to the institution which provided the care, in line with that institution's accounts.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, rates higher than those that apply to healthcare provided to people insured under the law applied by the institution which provided the care will not be used.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the cost of healthcare provided to pensioners and the members of their families who live in a Participant other than the competent one will be reimbursed by the competent institution to the institution that provided the healthcare, according to a lump sum set for each calendar year. The amount of that lump sum will be as close as possible to the actual spending.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, for the creditor Participant, the monthly lump-sum amount per person (Fi) for a calendar year will be worked out by dividing the average annual cost per person (Yi), broken down by age category (i), by 12, and applying a reduction (X) to the result, by the formula Fi = Yi * 1/12 * (1 - X). The index i (1, 2 and 3) stands for the three age categories used to calculate the lump sum: people under 20 years of age (i = 1), people aged between 20 and 64 years (i = 2), and people aged 65 years or over (i = 3). Yi is the average annual cost per person in age category i, as defined in a paragraph of this article. The coefficient X, which is 0.2, is the reduction.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the average annual cost per person (Yi) in age category i will be worked out by dividing the yearly spending on all the healthcare benefits that the institution of the creditor Participant provided to all persons in that age category who are subject to its legislation and resident in its territory, by the average number of persons in that age category in the calendar year concerned.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that for the debtor Participant, the lump sum for a calendar year will be the total reached by multiplying, for each age category i, the monthly lump-sum amount set per person by the number of complete months during which the persons concerned in that age category have resided in that Participant, and adding those results together.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the number of complete months during which the persons concerned have resided in the creditor Participant will be the total of the calendar months in a calendar year during which those persons have been entitled, because of their residence in the territory of the creditor Participant, to healthcare benefits in that territory paid for by the debtor Participant. Those months will be worked out from a register kept for that purpose by the institution of the place of residence, based on supporting documents about the rights of the persons concerned that the competent institution provides.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that each Participant will notify the Working Group of the average annual cost per person for each age category for a given year, no later than the end of the second year after the year in question. If there is no such notification within that period, the last average annual cost per person that was notified will apply.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that claims for reimbursement of amounts worked out on the basis of actual spending will be sent to the liaison body of the debtor Participant within 12 months after the end of the half-calendar year in which they were entered in the accounts of the creditor institution.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that claims submitted after the time limits set in the previous paragraph will not be taken into consideration.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the debtor Participant will make advance payments of 90% of the amount of the claims submitted by the creditor Participant. The advances will be paid no later than the sixth month after the month in which those claims were submitted. The month that counts as the month of submission of the claims will be the month of the date on which the debtor Participant receives them. The Participants, once they have carried out such checks as they consider appropriate, will: reject the individual statements of actual expenditure, where appropriate, no later than the 18th month after the month in which the corresponding claims were submitted; settle, before the end of that 18th month, the difference between the balance outstanding after payment of the advance, that is 10% of the amount of the claims submitted, and the amount of the individual statements rejected that relate to pending cases; and "lose the accounts relating to a claim" no later than the end of the 36th month after its submission.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that claims will be paid by the debtor institution to the liaison body of the creditor Participant within 18 months from the end of the month in which the application was submitted to the liaison body of the debtor Participant. This will not apply to claims that the debtor institution has rejected for a valid reason within that period. A heading follows: reimbursement on the basis of lump sums.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that claims for reimbursement of lump-sum amounts for a calendar year will be submitted to the liaison body of the debtor Participant within 12 months after the month in which the Participants have communicated to each other the average costs for that year under another article of this arrangement. The inventories referred to in that article will be submitted before the end of the year after the reference year.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that claims submitted after the time limits set in the previous paragraph will not be taken into consideration.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that each liaison body will make an advance payment within six months after the date it receives the inventory referred to in an earlier paragraph, amounting to 90% of the figure reached by multiplying the most recently communicated average cost by the total number of monthly units resulting from the inventories submitted. The month that counts as the month of submission of the claims will be the month of the date on which the debtor Participant receives them.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that each liaison body, once it has carried out such prior checks as it considers appropriate, will: reject, in whole or in part, the balances of the inventories, where appropriate, no later than the end of the 18 months after the corresponding inventory was submitted; settle, before the end of the sixth month after the month in which the applicable average costs were communicated, the difference between the amount of the claims worked out on the basis of the average costs and the amount of the advances paid, after deducting the rejected inventories that relate to disputes in progress; and, once the average costs for the reference financial year have been approved and communicated for both Participants, close the accounts for that year before the end of the 18th month after the date of the last communication to the other Participant and, in any event, after the 42nd month after the date of submission of the last inventory. Those three rules will not apply to supplementary claims. Rejections of inventories relating to supplementary claims will be carried out no later than the 24th month after the submission of the corresponding supplementary inventory. Supplementary claims will be paid in full, after deducting the amounts for inventories whose rejection has been accepted, no later than the 36th month after the submission of the supplementary inventories if the related average costs have already been communicated, or within the month after the last communication of those average costs if that communication takes place after that period.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that disputes concerning a claim will be resolved within 36 months after the month in which the application for reimbursement was submitted. A heading follows: miscellaneous provisions.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the debtor Participant will acknowledge electronically that it has received the claim notified by the creditor Participant, within two months from the date it received it. The acknowledgement will state the date on which the application was received.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that disputes concerning a claim will be resolved within 36 months after the month in which the application for reimbursement was submitted.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Working Group will help bring about the final closure of accounts in cases where a solution cannot be reached within the period set in the previous paragraph. On a reasoned request from one of the Participants, the Working Group will be tasked with producing an advisory opinion on any dispute concerning a claim within six months after the month in which the matter was referred to it; this does not affect a rule in a later article of this arrangement. A heading follows: default interest and interim payments.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that from the end of the period set for making payments relating to advances and the remaining claim, as set out in two earlier sections of this arrangement, the creditor Participant may apply interest to the amount due that has not been paid within the set period.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that this interest will be calculated on the basis of the reference rate that applies to the Participant responsible for payment, including, where applicable, the reference rate the European Central Bank applies to its main refinancing operations. The reference rate in force on the first calendar day of the month in which payment falls due will be applied. A heading follows: further arrangements.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants may jointly decide that further or different arrangements on the matters covered by this title of the arrangement are necessary for this arrangement to be applied effectively in line with the protocol and its implementing annex. Such a case could arise, for example, if the UK-Spain agreements of 1999 and 2009 on reimbursement are amended, renegotiated or terminated. Where the Participants jointly decide that further or different arrangements are necessary, this arrangement may be amended as another article of it provides.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants will jointly determine the position on claims for each calendar year, taking into account the relevant rules of the protocol and the implementing annex, and on the basis of information provided by the liaison bodies.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that for this purpose, the liaison bodies will notify each other, within the deadlines and under rules jointly decided by the Participants on the recommendation of the Working Group, of the amount of claims submitted, settled or disputed (by creditors), and of claims received, paid or disputed (by debtors).

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants will make use of the Working Group for the purposes of this article of the arrangement.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Working Group will review the information provided by the liaison bodies and may carry out such technical checks as are needed to verify the statistical and accounting data used to determine the yearly position on claims. The Working Group will report to the Participants and will have no power to decide on the determination of claims or the settlement of accounts.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that until arrangements for the verification and settlement of annual accounts are set up, the Participants will continue to use, for these purposes, the current administrative frameworks in place between the UK and Spain for the coordination of social security systems. The Participants may also jointly decide to take account, where appropriate, of the work of the Administrative Commission referred to in a 2004 EU regulation on the coordination of social security systems, for technical guidance and audit practices.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that a Working Group on Social Security Coordination will be set up. The Working Group will provide a forum for closer cooperation and exchange of information on matters covered by the protocol. The Participants intend that the Working Group will normally meet once a year, unless they jointly decide otherwise.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that each Participant will have an equal number of members in the Working Group and will inform the other Participant of the members appointed and of any changes. The Working Group will include representatives of the relevant competent authorities and liaison bodies of the Participants.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Working Group will adopt its rules of procedure by joint decision of the Participants; name points of contact to ensure ongoing communication as necessary; and help with the settlement of accounts and adopt the annual accounts between the institutions of the Participants.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Working Group may inform the EU-UK treaty committee on circulation of persons, set up under the treaty, of any differences that arise between the Participants about how this arrangement is applied and that are not resolved through consultation in the Working Group. This rule does not affect any provisions of the treaty on the settlement of disputes.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Working Group may consider and develop proposals for further administrative and technical arrangements to support putting into effect this arrangement, the protocol and its implementing annex, including on recovery procedures, data exchange and financial coordination, and may make recommendations to the Participants accordingly.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if one institution has paid a person benefits that were not due, that institution may, within the terms and limits set in the legislation it applies, ask the other institution responsible for paying benefits to that person to deduct the amount not due from arrears or ongoing payments owed to that person, whatever the social security branch under which the benefit is paid. That other institution will deduct the amount, subject to the conditions and limits that apply to this kind of offsetting under the legislation it applies, in the same way as if it had made the overpayments itself, and will transfer the amount deducted to the institution that paid the benefits that were not due.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that as an exception to the previous paragraph, if, when awarding or reviewing invalidity benefits, old-age pensions or survivors' pensions under two chapters of that protocol, an institution has paid a person benefits that were not due, that institution may ask the other institution that pays corresponding benefits to that person to deduct the amount overpaid from the arrears payable to that person. After that other institution has informed the institution that paid the sum not due of these arrears, the institution that paid the sum not due will tell it the amount of that sum within two months. If the institution due to pay the arrears receives that communication within that deadline, it will transfer the amount deducted to the institution that paid the sums not due. If the deadline passes, that institution will pay out the arrears to the person concerned without delay.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that if a person has received social welfare assistance in Gibraltar during a period in which the person was entitled to benefits under the legislation of Spain, or in Spain during a period in which the person was entitled to benefits under the legislation of the UK, for Gibraltar, the body that provided the assistance may, if it is legally entitled to reclaim the benefits due to the person concerned, ask the institution responsible for paying benefits to that person to deduct the amount of assistance paid from the amounts that institution pays to the person. This rule will apply, with the changes needed, to any family member of a person concerned who has received assistance in the territory of Spain or Gibraltar during a period in which the insured person was entitled, for that family member, to benefits under the legislation of the UK, for Gibraltar, or of Spain. The institution that has paid an amount of assistance that was not due will send a statement of the amount due to the other institution, which will then deduct the amount, subject to the conditions and limits set for this kind of offsetting under the legislation it applies, and transfer the amount without delay to the institution that paid the amount not due.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination has an article headed recovery of provisional payments and contributions, offsetting and assistance with recovery. It says that, in line with a rule of the implementing annex, the Participants will adopt the arrangements needed to ensure, wherever possible, either offsetting between the institutions of the UK, for Gibraltar, and of Spain, or recovery from the natural or legal person concerned. When the Participants approve these arrangements, they will be included in this arrangement, which will be amended for that purpose as another article of it provides.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants will notify each other of the liaison bodies referred to in another article of this arrangement, and of their competent institutions as defined under a rule of the protocol.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the entities referred to in the previous paragraph will be given an electronic identity in the form of an identification code and an electronic address.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants may jointly decide, where appropriate, common arrangements on the structure, content and format of such notifications.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that where relevant, such arrangements may take into account any formats or practices established under the treaty.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the Participants will ensure that the notifications referred to in an earlier paragraph remain valid or are updated as necessary.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that the competent authorities will compile statistics on the application of the protocol, the implementing annex and this arrangement, and will send them to the EU-UK treaty committee on circulation of persons.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination says that such data will be collected and organised according to the programme and methods jointly decided by the Working Group.

Under the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination, the Participants may, in keeping with the obligations that their own laws on data protection each place on them, decide, each on its own or both together, to publish these statistics.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination will take effect on the date of the last signature and will start to operate from the date the treaty enters into force.

Either Participant may end the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination by written notification through diplomatic channels. This arrangement will then cease to be in force on the first day of the twelfth month after the date of notification. If the treaty is ended, this arrangement will cease to be in force.

The administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination may be changed in writing at any time, if the Participants jointly decide to do so.

This is the closing record of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination. It says that the record above sets out the understandings reached between the UK, for Gibraltar, and Spain on the matters it refers to.

This is the signature block of the administrative arrangement between Spain and the UK, for Gibraltar, on the treaty's protocol on social security coordination. It was 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".