Gibraltar border fence dismantled ahead of July 15 Schengen integration

Work crews are tearing down the historic Verja that has marked the land border between La Línea de la Concepción in Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The demolition, carried out by the Spanish firm Tragsa, aims to be completed before the provisional treaty between the European Union and the United Kingdom comes into effect on 15 July. Once the agreement is active, Gibraltar will join the Schengen area through Spain, moving immigration checks to the airport and seaport and ending daily vehicle and pedestrian controls at the former fence.

The removal affects roughly 15,000 people who cross the border each day for work. Temporary diversions and night‑time works have caused intermittent failures in the biometric scanning equipment used by Spanish police, leading to brief document‑checking delays. Spain’s Interior Ministry has allocated €2 million for the demolition and the re‑organisation of the border zone, including new facilities for the National Police and the Civil Guard. The project also includes redesigning traffic flow and creating new urban space once the Verja is cleared.