Gibraltar to remove 118-year-old border controls with Spain from 15 July

Gibraltar is scheduled to remove its 118-year-old border controls with Spain from 15 July, allowing freedom of movement across the land frontier, according to BBC. The change follows a post-Brexit agreement between the UK, Spain and the European Union that aligns Gibraltar with the EU customs union and the Schengen free-travel zone, though approval by the UK and European parliaments is still pending. Under the new arrangements, travellers arriving from outside Schengen, including the UK, will have to show passports to Gibraltarian and Spanish officials at Gibraltar’s airport and port. Goods sold in Gibraltar will need to comply with EU regulations. Gibraltar will also introduce a new transaction tax to replace import duty, starting at 15% this year and rising to 17%, alongside higher excise rates on certain goods. The border currently sees rush-hour queues as around 15,000 Spanish workers cross daily.