MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK to intervene in support of Gibraltar in waters-dispute with Spain

The dispute has reached the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg

The British Government has confirmed that it has formally requested leave to join Gibraltar’s action in the European Court of Justice, Luxembourg regarding Madrid’s designation of Gibraltar British Territorial Waters as under Spain.

A Gibraltar government spokesperson said that the United Kingdom has sought permission in the Court of First Instance to intervene in support of the Government of Gibraltar in case T-176/09 (Government of Gibraltar v Commission) on the listing of Sites of Community Importance under the Habitats Directive.

“We do not intend to comment further at this stage on an ongoing legal action,” he said.

The move follows earlier failed attempts by Gibraltar and UK to resolve the issue with Spain. Gibraltar filed the action against the European Commission once the deadline was imminent. UK had to make the application last week to be eligible to seek leave.

Meanwhile in Spain Jose Ignacio Landaluce, an opposition MP for Cadiz, called on the Spanish Government to intervene in Gibraltar’s challenge to Spain’s designation of Gibraltar British Territorial Waters as Spanish controlled Site of Community Importance.

Landaluce said the Gibraltar action is a “provocation” and called on Miguel Angel Moratinos Spanish Foreign Minister to take a “clear and concise” stand on the matter.

“Spain can’t sit idly by this; this highlights Gibraltar’s ambitions over sovereignty”, said Landaluce.

In related news the Gibraltar opposition said it had noted reports in the international financial news agencies to the effect that Gibraltar has signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with Germany.

“As was the case when a similar agreement was entered into with the Republic of Ireland, the Gibraltar Government has - as yet - made no announcement about the agreement. Reports on the reputable ‘Bloomberg’ news agency refer to the agreement having been confirmed by the German Ministry of Finance,” said Shadow Minister for Financial Services, Fabian Picardo.

Picardo also claimed that “it is also being reported that Spain is to enter into an agreement with the United Kingdom in respect of Tax Information Exchange relating to Gibraltar. Given that Gibraltar is a separate jurisdiction to the UK for, inter alia, tax purposes and we are entering into such agreements directly with other governments, the Opposition is monitoring closely the information which becomes available in the press on the negotiations with Spain on this issue”.