Gibraltar could be part of the European Union’s Schengen area by the end of the year, a minister has claimed.
The Schengen area currently comprises of 26 European countries who have abolished passport and border controls between the nations.
And while Gibraltar are currently not within the area, its tourism and business minister, Vijay Daryanyani said he hoped a new treaty would be signed “within the coming months”.
Mr Daryanyani said that the deal could bring huge benefits to people both within Gibraltar and in Spain.
Gibraltar could join the Schengen area by the end of the year
Simon Galloway
Gibraltar is currently not within the area
WikiCommons
But added that “There'll be no concessions whatsoever on sovereignty, jurisdiction or control.
“That is one of the things that Gibraltarians and the Government are 100 percent sure of.”
He continued: “We think we're in a good place. And we hope that we can have a treaty within the coming months.
“We'd like to think that we could get somewhere by the end of this year.”
Such a deal would also mean that the more than 15,000 Spaniards who come to Gibratlar to work would no longer be required to show their passports on arrival.
“We have more jobs than people, we need them to come and work in Gibraltar.
“Gibraltarians spend a lot of money in that area of Spain. We give them a lot, they buy kitchens, they buy furniture. There is a whole range of economic activity that goes on because of Gibraltar in that area,” he told the Telegraph.
He went on to say: “So if we could have where aviation would be in the treaty, then that would open up access throughout Schengen to direct flights from Gibraltar to Madrid to Barcelona to Paris to Rome.
“It would create huge economic activity, as far as tourism is concerned, but of course other commercial possibilities."
