HMS Diamond, a Royal Navy destroyer, has been moored for two weeks at the Royal Navy Dockyard in Gibraltar. Work is underway on the vessel, including scaffolding and divers, but officials have not disclosed the exact scope of repairs. The ship had spent December sailing in the Red Sea as part of Britain’s plan to counter drone incursions by Houthi rebels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. London reports that nine drones were shot down by the ship as part of these operations.
After completing its mission, the Diamond returned to the safer waters of Gibraltar. On a recent Tuesday, James Heappey, the UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, visited the crew. The soldiers have spent two weeks confined within the tiny territory, since they cannot cross the border into Spain without a visa, according to official sources.
In 2022, Gibraltar saw approximately 14,000 personnel from the Ministry of Defence, a figure roughly matching half of Gibraltar’s population, along with 79 ships and 117 aircraft, including nuclear submarines, according to UK reports. Many visitors were primarily seeking tourism opportunities or second-home access in the Costa del Sol area.
On the Spanish side of the border, the Verja, officials sometimes face awkward situations when dealing with military personnel. There have been occasions when a submarine crew was temporarily denied entry, and it is common to see sailors from British forces prevented from entering without proper visas. As a Schengen-area member, Spain applies European Union border-control rules.
In this context, the Spanish Foreign Minister has yet to appoint a new envoy for Campo de Gibraltar. The previous envoy moved to Serbia late last year. The Foreign Ministry has declined to comment on the situation, while the minister has been actively appointing ambassadors in a rapid, sometimes unilateral manner. The absence of a formal envoy complicates daily diplomacy in the region.
Moreover, the head of the Gibraltar Office at Spain’s Foreign Ministry has not yet visited personnel or institutions in Campo de Gibraltar. The diplomat, a career official previously assigned to Madrid, was named to replace a senior official who was removed after publishing a critical letter about the Amnesty Law in a major newspaper.
During an interview published in January, the minister noted a shift in personnel for the Campo de Gibraltar office and emphasized a renewed partnership with the United Kingdom. He stressed that while the early phase of any negotiation is not the end, cooperation remains essential for a shared prosperity. The focus remains on practical outcomes rather than rhetoric.
Field observers describe a sense of uncertainty in Campo de Gibraltar as officials adapt to changing assignments. The daily border reality demands savvy diplomacy and robust networks. The line between local diplomacy and high-stakes treaty negotiations is increasingly blurred, and understanding the regional dynamics is crucial for shaping future agreements.
Spain has recently seized some high-powered engines from the border area intended for patrol boats in Gibraltar, recognizing their dual civilian-military potential. In past incidents, entry was blocked for certain vessels, and at times a diplomatic courier’s package was intercepted at the Verja. These are sensitive decisions that require formal input from Madrid.
The border situation persisted after the UK’s departure from the European Union, with Spain taking a relatively lenient approach to border checks for residents of a non-member state. The path forward cannot rely on temporary measures forever. A formal agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom is being pursued under the watchful eye of Spain and with Gibraltar present on the scene. The framework for negotiations emerged from the 2020 New Year’s Eve agreement, and since then, numerous rounds of talks and technical meetings have taken place. Madrid’s objective is to see the Verja dismantled so that people and goods can move freely and so that joint use of the Gibraltar airstrip may be possible. Harmonization of taxes and waste management are also on the table. Yet significant hurdles remain, especially regarding the control of soldiers and military materials. Three years after the initial agreement, concrete announcements have yet to arrive.
The clock is running. Only about 100 days remain until the European elections on June 9, which will renew the European Parliament and shape the next Commission tasked with leading negotiations. In roughly two months, the current European Parliament will hold its final plenary, setting a deadline for agreeing on a treaty within this term. If no accord is reached, talks could extend into the last quarter of the year, pending the formation of a new Commission and a resumption of negotiations with the British side. This could push the process out by nearly a year.
Complicating matters, a new European border control regime, the Entry/Exit System, will come into force in November. It introduces a rule requiring the registration of entries and exits for all third-country nationals. Spain’s objective remains to remove the Verja, enabling free movement of people and goods and allowing shared use of the airfield and coordinated rules on taxation and waste. For now, however, the signs of progress are scarce and negotiations press on in a challenging political landscape.
In sum, Campo de Gibraltar remains a focal point for both local diplomacy and larger geopolitics. The region’s future hinges on bridging border controls with a broader framework that allows cooperation, movement, and shared prosperity while addressing security imperatives and bureaucratic realities alike.