Gibraltar threatens to take EU to court over Spain's Brexit veto

The government of Gibraltar threatens to take the European Union to court over the clause they wrote in the Brexit bill that was presented on Wednesday by chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier. The EU has given Spain the right to veto any beneficial measures for the region during a transition period

More specifically, in the clause it states that after the divorce of the UK from the EU no agreement between both sides can be applied to the region of Gibraltar without the approval of the Spanish government.

As a response, leader Fabián Picardo has said they have received legal advice from UK lawyers and will do everything in his power if the clause is activated at any moment.

In this line the authorities of Gibraltar have said that the transition period was the continuation of the current EU system so they think that the exclusion of Gibraltar would be against their own policies. “This action would implicate a certain degree of legal and political discrimination against a small territory”, they have complained.

They have also argued it is an unfair measure, especially since 98% of Gibraltar voters chose ‘Remain’ in the referendum. They have said that this measure will only cause uncertainty for thousands of ordinary citizens and their families that live on both sides of the border.