Pedro Sánchez and Fabian Picardo celebrate the removal of the final border fence between Spain and Gibraltar following a new treaty.
Pedro Sánchez and Fabian Picardo have overseen the official removal of the final border fence separating Spain from the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The treaty, which took effect at midnight, eliminates land border controls and customs checks for residents, tourists, and the 15,000 Spanish workers who cross into the territory daily. The agreement concludes more than four years of negotiations following Britain’s departure from the European Union. While the deal creates a fluid frontier and makes Gibraltar a de facto part of the Schengen free-movement area, it preserves the territory's British sovereignty. Pedro Sánchez described the removal of the last wall in continental Europe as closing an "open wound" and entering a new era of shared prosperity. Fabian Picardo noted that the treaty provides economic certainty and firm legal foundations without compromising Gibraltar's constitutional protections. The deal addresses long-standing tensions between Madrid and London, replacing previous rush-hour queues with a streamlined transition for the region's 300,000 residents.