Spain to analyze Brexit impact for employment in Gibraltar neighboring areas

Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 04:16 UTC

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Senior representatives of leading unions UGT and CCOO in Andalusia called on Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo to exchange views on the issue.

Junta de Andalucia president, Susana Díaz visited Algeciras and La Linea to highlight the need for a coordinated response to Brexit “negative effects”

The central Spanish Government and regional authorities in Andalucia are taking an increasingly-close interest on the impact that a United Kingdom withdrawal from the EU could have on communities in the Campo de Gibraltar, neighbouring with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, and the region as a whole.

Spain’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs is to coordinate an inter-ministerial meeting in Madrid in the coming days to analyse the effect of a Brexit on the Campo, it was reported in the Sevilla and Madrid media.

The issue was also the focus of a visit to Algeciras and La Linea by the president of the Junta de Andalucia, the PSOE’s Susana Díaz, who highlighted the need for a coordinated response to avoid the “negative effects” of a Brexit not just on employment in the area but on the wider region too, including in sectors such as tourism and agri-food exports.

In a parallel development, senior representatives of leading unions UGT and CCOO in Andalusia called on Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo in the Rock to exchange views on the issue.

Central to all the separate initiatives is the growing awareness in Spain that a Brexit could have a negative impact on thousands of Spanish workers who come daily to Gibraltar to work and on Spanish businesses who rely on Gibraltar for all or part of their income.

Categories: Economy, Politics, International.

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brasherboot
The continent is realising that Brexit means that both sides hold cards.
Jul 06th, 2016 - 06:08 am 0
sceptic64
There are near to 12,000 people who cross the border daily to work in Gibraltar. While many are foreigners living in Spain, over 7,500 are Spanish. It is estimated that they spend about €1bn in Spain and this represents 25% of the turnover of the neighbouring area.

Brexit will have a detrimental effect on this in that it will hit the financial sector hard due to loss of passporting into the single market. This means less employment, government revenue, construction etc and less x-border workers, so there will be knock-on effects on Spain.

We had our annual Budget here in Gib yesterday and there's clear - err - 'prudence' in it, with a spendthrift government reining in and increasing some charges.

While Margallo has rambled on about “joint sovereignty” (ridiculous) and “closing the border”, the first is a pipe dream and the second highly unlikely - and this is one of the reasons.

Also important to note that on Monday, the Gibraltar government announced that it will send to Hacienda a list of all workers in Gib who are not living in Gibraltar, what they earn and what tax they pay. Spain has long moaned about people not paying taxes due in Spain but refuses to ask for details as it won't recognise the government here.

These two events are clearly linked.

We'll see what happens.
Jul 06th, 2016 - 07:29 am 0
Conqueror
@2. It's such a shame that the Government of Gibraltar can't, or won't, come up with methods for people to reach Gibraltar without going through spain. It's obvious that Brexit ought to kick start Government action. It's equally obvious that Gibraltar doesn't do enough to promote itself. Is Gibraltar proposing to dissolve its links with Britain? If so, don't bother. But, ferries operating at 40 knots? Aircraft? British tourists flying from the UK to Tangier and then continuing by aircraft or ferry to Gibraltar. All for one inclusive fare. Also workers, tourists, vehicles back and forth between Gibraltar and Tangier. I can't believe that the Government of Gibraltar hasn't already done it.

But I don't understand why more effort isn't made within Gibraltar. Where are the marked routes to the beaches? Where are the tourist buses? Far better than cramming into a taxi. Especially if the bus is open-topped!
Jul 06th, 2016 - 08:42 am 0

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