Tourism

Between Spain and Gibraltar, border controls have been removed

From midnight on July 15, 2026, the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar officially lifted border controls with Spain. Prior to this decision, the border checkpoints and the metal fence erected back in 1908 had already been dismantled.

As Tagesschau recalls, Spain and Gibraltar had been separated by border checks for more than a century. Under the new agreement, however, entry into the British territory is now governed by Schengen Area regulations.

Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, described the development as “historic,” emphasizing that it brings significant relief to thousands of Spanish citizens.

Every day, more than 15,000 people cross from Spain into Gibraltar. Many commute for work, and until now they often faced long delays at the border, particularly during peak hours.

“Sometimes I had to wait three or four hours, and on certain days even up to seven hours. At last, this ordeal is over,” a Spanish doctor’s assistant who has been commuting to Gibraltar for 30 years told the German news agency dpa.

Following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, Gibraltar was also required to leave the bloc, despite the fact that around 96% of its 34,000 residents voted to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum.

The long-standing dispute over Gibraltar has repeatedly strained relations between Madrid and London. Spain considers the territory a “colony” and an unlawfully occupied area. Gibraltar was captured by Britain in 1704 and formally ceded to it in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht.

Interesting facts about Gibraltar

Previously, Spanish archaeologists discovered more than a hundred shipwrecks from various historical periods off the coast of Gibraltar.

Meanwhile, British researchers found that the monkeys living on Gibraltar have adapted to consuming food offered by tourists, even when it is not suitable for them, without experiencing digestive problems.