Spain Seeks 'New Relationship' With UK On Gibraltar
Spain News
Published: 20 September 2022 17:38 CET
The Spanish government is seeking to forge a 'new relationship' with the British government in an attempt to find a definitive agreement.
According to the EFE news agency, Spanish diplomats are open to a new relationship with the UK, however, they accuse Brexit of "blowing everything up".
Spanish sources believe that the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss was "flexible in the good sense of the word" and hoped that any deal would be "less showy and vehement" than with her predecessor, Boris Johnson.
However, they said that they were not expecting any major changes just yet as Liz Truss "embodied the spirit of Brexit".
They also stated that they were keen to find a future agreement that resulted in largely the same benefits to citizens as before Brexit.
In regards to mobility they said, "In mobility, we want the same rights for those who were already living here before Brexit. And for those who arrived after Brexit, we want the situation to be as similar as possible to what it was before Brexit, for example, with the recognition of driving licences.”
Despite a renewed enthusiasm to find a deal, Spanish sources have ruled out a definitive timeframe for any agreement to be found.
New Spanish Consulate In London
According to sources, there are plans to open a new Spanish Consulate in London.
The current one has attracted a lot of criticism, especially from the Spanish community living in the UK, following a series of strikes held by consulate staff over pay.
The location of the new Consulate is expected to be announced by summer 2023 and is expected to be financed via a 60 million euro digitisation plan courtesy of EU recovery funds.
Source
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1671837/brexit-spain-gibraltar-uk-eu-diplomacy-liz-truss
https://murciatoday.com/spain_wants_deal_with_uk_on_gibraltar_and_driving_licences_similar_to_before_brexit_1840460-a.html
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