European Parliament committee backs Gibraltar treaty ahead of Spanish election
The civil liberties committee voted 59 to four in favour of a report urging approval of the post-Brexit Gibraltar treaty, The Olive Press reported. The full parliament votes on 14 December.
By Costa del Sol Journal Newsroom · · AI-assisted
A European Parliament committee has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the post-Brexit treaty on Gibraltar, according to The Olive Press, clearing one hurdle before a vote by the full chamber.
The committee vote
The Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee (LIBE) voted 59 to four, with four abstentions, for a report recommending that the parliament approve the agreement. The Olive Press said the full parliament is due to vote on 14 December on whether to give its consent, which would help pave the way for ratification.
The report was written by Romanian MEP Lorant Vincze of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP). According to The Olive Press, it calls the treaty a "balanced solution" suited to Gibraltar's geography and its unusual relationship with Spain.
The newspaper said the report also lists safeguards. These include effective controls on Gibraltar's external borders and a Spanish right to object to certain residence permits on public health or security grounds.
Opposition from the PP and Vox
The Olive Press described the vote as a significant boost for the deal, noting that the EPP backed it despite strong opposition from its Spanish members from the Partido Popular (PP).
During a debate on EU-UK relations, PP MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz accused EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares of giving too much away to Britain. The Olive Press quoted him as saying: "You have not controlled it and you have given everything away in the negotiation." He also warned that the open border risked turning the Rock into "a new Ceuta".
The same report quoted him as saying: "Within a month this is going to change. There is going to be a new government in Spain that will defend the interests of the country, which are those of Europe."
Vox MEP Margarita de la Pisa called the treaty "a historic mistake", according to the newspaper. The Olive Press said Vox could enter a coalition with the PP.
What comes next
The Olive Press said Spain goes to the polls in a snap general election on 29 November, called by prime minister Pedro Sanchez. It reported that the vote could bring the PP to power, and that the party has openly opposed the deal.
For residents and businesses around the Campo de Gibraltar and the wider Costa del Sol, the treaty's fate will depend on both the European Parliament vote on 14 December and the political outcome in Spain. The details above come from a single media report and have not been checked against the committee's published text.
