MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU urges UK and Spain to solve Gibraltar waters’ row

Commissioner Stavros Dimas informed of the move in a letter to MEP Giles Chichester

European Commissioner Stavros Dimas has been urging UK and Spain to work “towards a mutually acceptable” resolution of the Gibraltar waters designation row it has emerged, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

The move was confirmed by Commissioner Dimas in a letter to Giles Chichester MEP copied to a local Gibraltar constituent.

As far back as March Mr Chichester wrote to the Commissioner asking about the affair. He was told that the Commission could confirm that “in the context of the last update of the list of Sites of Community Importance for the Mediterranean Region in December 2008, a new site nominated by Spain, called ‘Estrecho Oriental’ has been included”.

The letter added: “The site covers a marine area close to Gibraltar and significantly overlaps with the site proposed by the United Kingdom named ‘Southern Waters of Gibraltar’ which was included in the first version of the Mediterranean list adopted by the Commission in July 2006.”

The letter then notes the meeting at which the UK claims it missed the move amidst the presentation to hundreds of such areas around the EU.

Mr Dimas says that before adopting the Commission Decision of December 2008 the Habitats Directive procedure was followed and the member states concerned were consulted “and a favourable opinion received at the meeting of the Habitats Committee held to discuss the proposed updating of the list.”

Mr Dimas says that the Commission is preparing its response to the Gibraltar legal challenge and will “continue to encourage the relevant authorities in Spain and the UK to work towards a mutually acceptable resolution of this matter.” Britain is expected to state its position on joining the Gibraltar action in the next week.