Question 2 October 2014 William (The Earl of) Dartmouth (EFDD)
Subject: Gibraltar
Can the Commission state whether it has received any guarantees from Spain that, upon completion of the works to improve traffic flow at its land border with Gibraltar, Spain will also reduce the intensity of the checks on traffic and pedestrians that it conducts at present?
Answer 29 January 2015 Commissioner Avramopoulos
On 2 July 2014, the team of Commission experts paid a second technical fact finding visit to the border crossing point of La Línea de la Concepción between Spain and Gibraltar. The aim of the visit was to get a full picture of the steps that had been communicated by the authorities of Spain and Gibraltar on their implementation of the Commission’s recommendations from November 2013 and to better understand what measures still need to be implemented. Following the visit, on 30 July 2014 the Commission addressed a set of more specific recommendations to both Spain and Gibraltar with a view to improving the vehicular and pedestrian traffic situation at this border and better addressing tobacco smuggling.
One of the aspects covered by the Commission’s recommendations to Spain is that checks carried out by the Spanish authorities on both persons and vehicles must be based on a well-defined risk assessment and the principle of proportionality.
The Commission has received the Spanish reply and is currently analysing it.
150129 EP – Q W Dartmouth (EFDD-UKIP) on Gibraltar, A Com Avramopoulos E-007507-14.pdf