MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar accuses Spain of foul play ahead of EC visit to check border controls

Apparently Spanish authorities have changed inspection arrangements in the border thus avoiding hours long queues

Gibraltar has accused Spain of a “crude, last minute” attempt to “disguise and conceal” its normal customs checks at the border, just days ahead of a visit by the European Commission. The EC team arrives on Wednesday and will consist of six experts on EU customs controls and border matters.

They will analyse traffic flow and customs arrangements at the border and meet with officials both in the Rock and in Spain, in what one EU official described as “a tight schedule”.

The UK, Gibraltar and Spanish Governments have already been asked to answer detailed questions ahead of the visit. All three governments have also prepared extensive dossiers of evidence documenting events at the border going back many months.

But even before the inspectors arrive, the Gibraltar Government claimed Spain was trying to hide the reality at the border. Gibraltar was reacting to news that Spanish authorities had cleared and cordoned off an area next to the customs post to search cars travelling from Gibraltar to Spain.

Until now, Guardia Civil officers had simply stopped vehicles in the red and green channels while they carried out their checks, causing rapid tailbacks into Gibraltar of up to seven hours outbound and three hours inbound. By moving vehicles away from the main channel and to one side, the flow of traffic is no longer impeded by the checks.

“The Gibraltar Government has no doubt that the Spanish authorities are thereby preparing themselves for the forthcoming visit by a high powered delegation from the European Commission, which will be coming specifically to inspect the nature of the Spanish controls at the border,” the Gibraltar Government said in a statement. “However, the Government of Gibraltar has weeks of video evidence to show that Spanish procedures were changed only a matter of days before the delegation’s visit.”

“This crude attempt at the last minute by the Spanish authorities to disguise and conceal the way in which they normally conduct such searches at the border, in a manner that is likely to mislead the European Commission will be brought to the immediate attention of the European Commission.”

“Clearly, it would seem that the announcement of the European Commission’s visit is already producing positive effects, even before the Commission inspectors arrive.”

The change in inspection arrangements at the border coincided with the arrival on Thursday of new equipment at the border that the Spanish authorities will use to scan vehicles for hidden compartments stashed with cigarettes. A mobile scanner installed in a van allows Spanish officers to X-ray vehicles and detect whether there is any hidden contraband.

The European Commission has told a group locally-resident that the tight schedule of its fact-finding mission next week will not allow inspectors to meet and hear their concerns. The group, mostly Swedes, has asked to meet with the EC team to offer a personal insight into the frontier checks.

But in a letter to its spokesman, Alexander Broch, an EC official said a meeting was not possible. “However, we would like to reassure the group of Swedes that we certainly take into account the interest of all EU citizens independent of their nationality,” the EC official said.