Spain’s eleventh-hour objection over Gibraltar prevented the European Union on Friday from clearing the last hurdle before a leaders’ summit on Sunday is due to endorse the Brexit deal with Britain.
A meeting in Brussels of national negotiators of the 27 EU states staying on together after Brexit ended with no agreement on Gibraltar after nearly three hours. “The work continues,” one diplomatic source said.
Four months before Britain leaves the EU, the legal divorce treaty and an accompanying political declaration on future ties are due to be rubber-stamped by British Prime Minister Theresa May and the leaders of the 27 countries remaining in the EU.
May will arrive for more talks with the head of the EU’s executive, Jean-Claude Juncker, in Brussels late on Saturday, just hours before the summit is due to start.
Her spokeswoman said in London May would work with the Spanish government on Gibraltar, a disputed British overseas territory.
Spain has asked for changes to Britain’s legal withdrawal treaty and the accompanying political declaration to make clear any decisions about Gibraltar would only be taken with Madrid.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain would be against the Brexit package on Sunday if it is not changed.
“After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away. My government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit,” he said.
Under EU rules, the withdrawal treaty is adopted by a majority and not unanimity, so a single state cannot block it. However, EU leaders want unity on this most politically sensitive matter.
“If (the withdrawal agreement is) opened for one comma or one full-stop on Gibraltar, it’s going to be re-opened on any of the other issues,” Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said on Friday.
— Reuters
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