Gibraltar to make major border change with Spain after 118 years on Wednesday

A border change is set to come into effect on Wednesday after 118 years of causing headaches for residents. Members of the public who find themselves working in Gibraltar are set to have their commute shortened as red tape is cut over how crossings on the island are made.

Some commuters find themselves having to cross international borders on the morning and afternoon weekday work rush, with 15,000 Spaniards usually crossing the frontier at one time. It makes for a long jam and time-consuming queues that have infuriated locals for generations. But this is set to come to an end on Wednesday as lawmakers will make it easier to move between Spain and Gibraltar.

Chotrani, who has a job in human resources in a Gibraltarian shipping and tourism company, told the BBC: “The fact that there is a border between us is ridiculous. I don’t think a fence should separate people from one place and another.”

From July 15 (Wednesday), the border will be removed and commuters will be able to travel freely between Spain and Gibraltar. Chotrani called the development a “great step forward” for those who live in Spain and commute to Gibraltar, or vice versa.

Gibraltar has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. But La Línea de la Concepción and the nearby area is one of the most deprived parts of Spain.The Mayor of La Línea de la Concepción has since outlined how helpful the border drop will be for both countries.

He said: “This is something historic, we’ve had a border fence since 1908. You have to realise that for an average company in this town a third of its income is from clients in Gibraltar.”

Gibraltarians were staunchly opposed to Brexit, with 96% of them voting to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum on the issue. EU lawmakers were drafted into hammer out a proposal which will now see the border between Gibraltar and Spain removed.

The solution reached by the EU, UK, and Spain, has been to align Gibraltar with the European customs union and the Schengen European free travel zone.