Britain Voted to Take Back Control. It’s Ceded Power Where It Matters Most

Britain voted to take back control. It’s ceded power where it matters most

UK-EU treaty for the Rock of Gibraltar epitomises the erosion of sovereignty since the Brexit referendum.

Britain voted for Brexit to take back control. Instead it lost it.

The UK-EU treaty for Gibraltar is the starkest example of sovereignty lost in the decade after the 2016 referendum.

British subjects will have to show their passports to the European Union (EU) border force before they can enter the British Overseas Territory.

Spanish guards will have a veto on who enters the Rock. So much for taking back control of our borders.

The Telegraph revealed on Friday how Spanish guards will even be able to inspect the secret, strategic military base on Gibraltar and be furnished with lists of weapons sent there.

Gibraltar will align with EU rules to make its land border with Spain invisible. It has agreed to demands from Brussels to impose a new transaction tax on manufacturing.

Minimum EU excise rates will now apply on the Rock, which means cigarettes and alcohol will get more expensive.

Packaged food on shelves will have to be stamped “not for EU” and drugs “UK only” if they do not meet EU standards.

Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar’s first minister, and the Labour Government insist a “sovereignty clause” will keep the Rock British, but it does not end Spain’s claim to the territory – it merely parks it.

Gibraltar has been a stronghold for more than 300 centuries. British forces endured and won their longest ever siege on the Rock.

[…]

The deal will be welcomed by many on the Rock who want frictionless travel to and from Spain, as well as for the economically vital Spanish workers it protects.

Many in Britain will be shocked at the erosion of British sovereignty in the last of the original Brexit agreements to be struck.

They shouldn’t be. Labour is giving away British territories either openly, in the case of the Chagos Islands, or bit-by-bit in Gibraltar and Northern Ireland.

The Telegraph: continue reading

See Related Article Below

IN FULL: All the Worst Parts of Labour’s Gibraltar Sellout

.
GUIDO FAWKES

Guido has had a look at the treaty compiled by Labour, the left-wing Gibraltarian chief minister Fabian Picardo, and the EU. Here are the worst developments summarised:

Spanish border guards stationed inside Gibraltar: Spanish authorities will perform full Schengen border control functions at border crossing points set up at the airport and port.
Spain can refuse entry to travellers: Spanish authorities are granted the right to refuse entry to third-country nationals (including non-EU citizens such as Britons from the UK mainland) who do not meet Schengen entry conditions.
Spain conducts border surveillance within Gibraltar: Spanish authorities will carry out border surveillance between border crossing points inside Gibraltar, including outside fixed opening hours, to prevent people circumventing checks.
Spain gets arrest, detention, search and seizure powers inside Gibraltar: Spanish authorities may arrest, search, detain, interview, and seize or search property of persons during the course of border control carried out at Gibraltar’s crossing points, under Spanish and EU law.
Spain gets primacy in coercive action: Where coercive action (arrest/detention/seizure) is required based on alerts in both UK-Gibraltar and Spanish databases and can only be carried out by one authority, it defaults to the Spanish authorities.Sequencing also gives Spain the final check on exit…
Spain can block new residence permits: Before issuing or renewing any residence permit, Gibraltar must notify Spain. Spain has 28 days (extendable to 42) to object on grounds of public policy, security, health, or international relations. If Spain objects, Gibraltar must not issue or renew the permit…
Spain can force withdrawal of existing residence permits: Spain can request that Gibraltar withdraw an already-issued residence permit on the same grounds, and Gibraltar must comply “without delay.”
Spain can retroactively review pre-treaty permits: Spain can run database checks on all existing permit holders at the time of entry into force and request withdrawal of any it deems a threat, which Gibraltar must carry out.
Spain can ban individual Gibraltar residents from leaving Gibraltar: If Spain considers a person resident in Gibraltar to be a sufficiently serious threat, Spain can issue a prohibition preventing that individual from travelling to any Schengen country. Gibraltar must enforce the ban, including through police cooperation with Spain. Appeals go to a Spanish court…
Gibraltar must provide quarterly risk assessments to Spain: Gibraltar is required to regularly (at minimum every three months) provide Spain with risk assessments on all persons resident in Gibraltar who might pose a threat.
Spain issues short-stay visas for Gibraltar visitors: Where a third-country national’s main purpose is to stay in Gibraltar, the short-stay visa is issued by Spain, not Gibraltar.
Spain can block emergency border visas: If Gibraltar wishes to issue a rare humanitarian visa at the border, Spain can object and Gibraltar must then refrain from issuing it.
Spain can object to Gibraltar granting asylum: When someone applies for international protection in Gibraltar, Spain may within 14 days (extendable to 28) object.
Advance Passenger Information transferred to Spain: Gibraltar must ensure all carriers transfer API data for flights arriving from outside the Schengen area to Spanish authorities. The same applies to Passenger Name Records, residence permit applicant data, and all permits and visas…
EU has real-time access to Gibraltar’s customs IT systems: EU authorities are given “real time and continuous access” to all relevant IT systems used by Gibraltar’s customs authorities.
EU can unilaterally levy VAT and excise on goods bound for Gibraltar: If the EU determines that tax-rate differentials are causing trade distortions, it can — after a 10-day consultation window — unilaterally levy VAT and excise duties on goods heading to Gibraltar at the rate applicable in the relevant Spanish customs post.
EU safeguard mechanism over customs compliance: The EU can suspend customs provisions or impose punitive measures (increased collection costs, levy VAT/excise) unilaterally if it finds insufficient application of the rules, fraud, or smuggling — with only a 3-month consultation period before acting.
A Spanish body assesses Gibraltar’s tax rates: A joint UK-Spain body can assess whether Gibraltar’s transaction tax and excise duty rates cause competitive distortions relative to Spanish rates, and Gibraltar must adjust its rates based on this body’s recommendations.
EU inspection teams can enter and inspect Gibraltar infrastructure: Gibraltar must admit EU and Member State representatives and experts to visit and inspect infrastructure inside Gibraltar as part of Schengen evaluation mechanisms. EU authorities can also request joint inspection visits to Gibraltar airport to monitor compliance, and the other party “cannot refuse” such requests…
Gibraltar must align entry conditions with EU law: Gibraltar “undertakes to align entry conditions under the law of the United Kingdom, in respect of Gibraltar, to those applicable under Union law.”
Gibraltar must apply EU product rules: Goods may only be produced or placed on the market in Gibraltar if they comply with the relevant rules of EU law.
Gibraltar must align with EU data protection law (GDPR): Gibraltar’s data protection regime must apply provisions equivalent to the GDPR, interpreted in conformity with CJEU case law and European Data Protection Board guidance.
Gibraltar must implement EU civil aviation rules: Gibraltar must incorporate listed EU civil aviation regulations into its domestic regime, and when new EU aviation acts are adopted, Gibraltar has only 30 days to accept or refuse them.
Enhanced police checks in Gibraltar: Spanish and Gibraltar authorities shall perform enhanced police checks within Gibraltar (and the Spanish contiguous zone) to prevent crime and irregular migration, which may take the form of joint operations.

All that in exchange for easier access to the EU. Guido is aware this is a long list – it is a Labour sellout after all…

SOURCE: Guido Fawkes.

••••

The Liberty Beacon Project is now expanding at a near exponential rate, and for this we are grateful and excited! But we must also be practical. For 7 years we have not asked for any donations, and have built this project with our own funds as we grew. We are now experiencing ever increasing growing pains due to the large number of websites and projects we represent. So we have just installed donation buttons on our websites and ask that you consider this when you visit them. Nothing is too small. We thank you for all your support and your considerations … (TLB)

••••

Comment Policy: As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. This also applies to trolling, the use of more than one alias, or just intentional mischief. Enforcement of this policy is at the discretion of this websites administrators. Repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without prior warning.

••••

Disclaimer: TLB websites contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of “fair use” in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, health, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than “fair use” you must request permission from the copyright owner.

••••

Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared are for informational purposes only including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material are not intended as medical advice or instruction. Nothing mentioned is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Liberty Beacon Project.