The Brussels Agreement
27th November 1984
The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe, and the Spanish Foreign Minister, His Excellency Sr Don Fernando Moran Lopez, held a meeting in Brussels on 27 November 1984 during which they agreed the way in which the Spanish and British Governments will apply the Lisbon Declaration of 10 April 1980 in all its parts.
These will involve simultaneously:
- The provision of equality and reciprocity of rights for Spaniards in Gibraltar and Gibraltarians in Spain. This will be implemented through the mutual concession of the rights which citizens of EC countries enjoy,taking into account the transitional periods and derogations agreed between Spain and the EC. The necessary legislative proposals to achieve this will be introduced in Spain and Gibraltar. As concerns paid employment, and recalling the general principle of community preference, this carries the implication that during the transitional period each side will be favourably disposed to each other's citizens when granting work permits.
- The establishment of free movement of persons, vehicles and goods between Gibraltar and the neighbouring territory.
- The establishment of a negotiating process aimed at overcoming all the differences between them over Gibraltar and at promoting co-operation on a mutually beneficial basis on economic, cultural, touristic, aviation, military and environmental matters. Both sides accept that the issues of sovereignty will be discussed in that process. The British Government will fully maintain its commitment to honour the wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble of the 1969 constitution.
Insofar as the airspace in the region of Gibraltar is concerned, the Spanish Government undertakes to take early actions necessary to allow safe and effective air communications.
There will be meetings for this purpose between the Spanish and British Foreign Ministers.
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