soap operas from Brexit in Gibraltar continues. Waiting for negotiations between European Union (EU) and great Britain (UK) in relation to Batu’s future relations with the EU coming to fruition, the effect of Britain’s exit from the European community is exacerbated, both on the one hand and the other side of the Gate, this time as a result of the end of the agreement from health reciprocity that Spain has maintained to this day.

This bilateral agreement between the European Union and the UK expires on 31 December 2020 due to Brexit. However, Spanish government enacted decree laws — validated unanimously in Congress — adapting the UK’s exit from the EU considering the extension of the reciprocal healthcare agreement until this Thursday, 30 June 2022.

Therefore, in the Rock they pay a lot of attention to the past ministerial councilwhere Pedro Sanchez it will have to decide on a new extension of the agreement if it does not want to reach its current situation. The President of the Government did not do so, and as a result, Gibraltar decided, “with great regret”, being “willing to keep them”, to implement a policy of reciprocity.

Executive from picardo fabian expressed it like this in a statement issued last Tuesday: «Given that reciprocity is a key element of this agreement, which cannot function without coordination and without provisions for reimbursement, etc., to the Government Gibraltar he has no choice but to suspend them as well as far as treatment in Gibraltar is concerned.”

The note also warns that, “from 1 July 2022, residents of Gibraltar must ensure that they have adequate travel insurance with medical coverage whenever they go to Spain, regardless of the duration of their stay”, under the risk of having to pay for access to treatment. Spanish health, “even if access to health care is necessary in an emergency or accident”. Likewise, “the Gibraltar Health Authority will no longer provide free healthcare to visitors to Gibraltar who are covered by Spain’s social security system.”

Spanish Coverage

On the other hand, “the tax agent Gibraltar will stop issuing, starting July 1, 2022, undergraduate certificates to persons not covered by EU-United Kingdom Withdrawal Agreement that they are cross-border workers contributing to Gibraltar’s social security system,” the statement also reports.

In response to this, the Government Sub-delegation in Cadizo has guaranteed medical coverage for European citizens living in Spain and working in Rock. With this way, national health system Spain will maintain the health of about 10,000 people who have enjoyed undergraduate certificates so far.

A deal that didn’t come

Lack of progress in negotiations Brexit This is the reason why the Spanish Government has decided not to extend what was the last emergency measure to lessen the impact of leaving the country. great Britain and hence, Gibraltar from European Union. The talks hit a stalemate, as they were scheduled to resume in early June; However, the draft for the ninth round of negotiations has not even been made.

“We are one step away from a historic agreement,” he assured. picardo fabian in the Gibraltarian Parliament in May, having concluded the eighth round, which was held in London on the 10th and 11th of the same month. However, Gibraltar’s top minister expects a minimum of “two more rounds of negotiations” to reach a deal.

The point of difference between the parties, which prevents the realization of the agreement, lies, in general, in the application of the acquis of Schengen and on how to exercise border control. There is optimism on both sides of the table. But the reality is that the temporary exemptions that Spain granted to the inhabitants of Gibraltar are decreasing; an agreement has not been reached, and the effects of Brexit are already visible, due to the delay in negotiations.