MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK “deeply concerned” with Spanish advance of Gibraltar waters

Britain’s Europe Minister, Caroline Flint, told the House of Commons this week that the British Government remained “deeply concerned” by recent developments in Europe affecting Gibraltar waters, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

The minister was referring to news that the European Commission had approved an application by Spain to designate the waters around the Rock as a Spanish site under EU nature legislation.

“As the UK is the only member state competent to propose a site covering British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, we do not recognise the validity of the adopted site,” said in response to questions from Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle.

“The UK is deeply concerned that Spain should seek to designate an area of BGTW and that this designation should have been approved”. The UK has made “written and oral representations” to Spain on this matter, she said.

However, “there have been no recent talks between the UK and either Spain or Gibraltar on the sovereignty of territorial waters,” the minister added.

“The [British] Government are fully confident of its sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and continues to make this clear to Spain whenever appropriate.”