Gibraltar Protocol (Nov 2018)

Citizens’ rights

The Kingdom of Spain (“Spain”) and the United Kingdom in respect of Gibraltar shall closely cooperate with a view to preparing and underpinning the effective implementation of Part Two of the Withdrawal Agreement on citizens’ rights, which fully applies, inter alia, to frontier workers residing in Gibraltar or in Spain, in particular in the territory of the municipalities that make up the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Campo de Gibraltar, and which, provide for specific rights for frontier workers.

To that effect, the competent authorities shall exchange up-to-date information on a quarterly basis on persons covered by Part Two of the Withdrawal Agreement who reside in Gibraltar or in the territory of the municipalities that make up the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Campo de Gibraltar, including, in particular, frontier workers.

Spain and the United Kingdom shall establish a coordinating committee as a forum for regular discussion between the competent authorities to monitor matters relating to employment and labour conditions. That coordinating committee shall report to the Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol on Gibraltar established by the Withdrawal Agreement (“Specialised Committee”) on a regular basis.

Air transport law

EU law on air transport which did not apply to the Gibraltar airport before 30 March 2019 shall only become applicable to the Gibraltar airport from the date established by the Joint Committee. The Joint Committee shall adopt the decision thereon upon notification by the United Kingdom and Spain that they have reached a satisfactory agreement on the use of the Gibraltar airport.

Fiscal matters and financial interests

Spain and the United Kingdom in respect of Gibraltar shall establish the forms of cooperation necessary to achieve full transparency in tax matters and in respect of the protection of financial interests of all the parties concerned, in particular by establishing an enhanced system of administrative cooperation to fight against fraud, smuggling and money laundering, and to resolve tax residence conflicts.

The international standards of the Group of Twenty (G20) and of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) relating to good fiscal governance, transparency, exchanges of information and harmful tax practices and in particular the economic substance criteria established by the OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices shall be complied with in Gibraltar, with a view to Gibraltar’s participation in the OECD Inclusive Framework on base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).

The United Kingdom shall ensure that its ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, adopted in Geneva on 21 May 2003, and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, adopted in Seoul on 12 November 2012, is extended to Gibraltar by 30 June 2020.

Without prejudice to the first subparagraph, the United Kingdom shall ensure that a system of traceability and security measures relating to tobacco products that is equivalent to the requirements and standards of EU law is in force in Gibraltar by 30 June 2020. That system shall ensure reciprocal access to the information on traceability of cigarettes in Spain and Gibraltar.

In order to prevent and deter the smuggling of products subject to excise duties or special taxes, the United Kingdom shall ensure that, in respect of alcohol and petrol, a tax system which aims at preventing fraudulent activities involving those products is in force in Gibraltar.

Environment protection and fishing

Spain and the United Kingdom shall establish a coordinating committee as a forum for regular discussion between the competent authorities of issues concerning in particular waste management, air quality, scientific research and fishing. The European Union shall be invited to participate in the meetings of that coordinating committee. That coordinating committee shall report to the Specialised Committee on a regular basis.

Cooperation in police and customs matters

Spain and the United Kingdom shall establish a coordination committee as a forum for monitoring and for coordination between the competent authorities of any questions related to cooperation in police and customs matters. The European Union shall be invited to participate in the meetings of that coordination committee. That coordinating committee shall report to the Specialised Committee on a regular basis.

Tasks of the Specialised Committee

The Specialised Committee shall:

  • facilitate the implementation and application of this Protocol;
  • discuss any point of relevance to this Protocol giving rise to a difficulty and raised by the European Union or the United Kingdom;
  • examine the reports from the coordination committees referred to in this Protocol; and
  • make recommendations to the Joint Committee as regards the functioning of this Protocol.

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