MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Spain says strict controls at Gibraltar border will remain: “a fight against illegal items and contraband”
Mendez de Vigo alleges that volume of tobacco imports to Gibraltar means every resident should consume nine packs a day Spain’s Minister for European Affairs Iñigo Méndez de Vigo has said Madrid will maintain strict controls at the border. Speaking with the media in Brussels the minister said that the European Commission had endorsed the action it has being taking as in line with EU norms.
The minister admitted that the EC had urged co-operation with UK and he believed that the way forward is with dialogue, but he added that the Commission had made some “interesting” findings which both “worry Spain and motivate the action being taken”.
“This is the fight against illegal items and contraband.”
Mendez de Vigo noted the Commission’s reference to the amount of tobacco being imported into Gibraltar increasing and said that if this quantity were smoked locally every man, woman and child would have to get through nine packs a day.
“The stricter measures at the frontier have seen a greater seizure of contraband,” he said adding that there was an obligation on Britain to reform the tobacco laws of 1997 “so the mission has produced its fruits”.
The minister said that Spain will comply with the Commission recommendation to improve frontier flow but with the controls he expected that “many things on the Rock that are not in conformity with EU law will disappear”. But he said that the plan is to make life easier for people whilst maintaining controls.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsOh! this seems to be serious...
Nov 21st, 2013 - 10:33 am 0I think Britons have to take notes and don not upset the Spanish because could be really dangerous for Ukisntan.
Why what will Spain do now if the UK upsets it more Dany?
Nov 21st, 2013 - 11:18 am 0What other options does it have left?
To close the border? Wow it did that for 16 years and what did it gain?
C'mon what exactly did Spain gain!!!!!
Why is it so hard to get answers on here?
“This is the fight against illegal items and contraband.”
Nov 21st, 2013 - 11:33 am 0Oh, and I thought it was about sovereignty ... silly me.
'The minister said that Spain's .... plan is to make life easier for people'
What was the expression - 'Double-Speak'?
Spain should be addressing the contraband trade from
i. Tangiers (non-EU) across the Straits direct to Spain (EU)
ii. Mellila, Morocco (Spanish EU) to Almeria, Spain (EU)
iii. Ceuta, Morocco (Spanish EU) to Algeciras, Spain (EU)
Ok, there is a bigger unit profit for tobacco transiting through Gibraltar, but it is REAL SMALL BEER compared to these other contraband routes.
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