MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK reasserts authority over Gibraltar’s waters

Spain considers Gibraltar territorial waters as part of its responsibilities

Defra, the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has reasserted UK’s authority over Gibraltar waters and objects to Spain’s designation. The statement of position comes as the Foreign Office is expected to announce its position in relation to Gibraltar’s lawsuit against the European Commission in this respect.

In answer to the Gibraltar Chronicle questions a Defra spokesman said that “The UK is the only EU Member State entitled to submit a proposed Site of Community Importance in Gibraltar Territorial Waters. We object to the overlapping Spanish site - which was one of several thousand proposed sites”.

Defra is the UK ministry that was represented at the Habitats Committee meeting of EU members states which failed to pick up on the ‘Estrecho Oriental’ submission in which Spain described British Gibraltar Territorial Waters as part of Spain’s responsibility.

Meanwhile Spain’s Transport Minister, Concepcion Gutierrez, said during an Algeciras visit that there are ‘technical communications’ between Gibraltar and Spain on maritime security issues despite the Spanish sovereignty claim “which Spain has never put in doubt”.