Second round of meetings of coordination committees provided for in Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation in police and customs matters, and on environmental matters signed between Spain and United Kingdom on Gibraltar

The coordination committees provided for in the Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation in police and customs matters, and on environmental matters signed between Spain and United Kingdom regarding Gibraltar on 29 November 2018 met on 28 July 2020. This is the second occasion that the two committees have met. The first meetings took place on 26 and 27 February of this year, respectively, and have been resumed again now that the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 epidemic have been lifted.

The Joint Coordination Committee on cooperation in police and customs matters took place in the morning, and examined the conclusions from the two Working Groups on police and customs matters respectively, which met on 2 July in Gibraltar. The Committee addressed practical and operational aspects of this cooperation, with a view to making the fight against crime in the area more effective. It also addressed issues related to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on tobacco and other products, observing positive developments in this area.

The Technical and Coordination Committee (TCC) established under the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in environmental matters met in the afternoon. This Committee reviewed the results from the first meeting held on 27 February and looked further at issues of common interest on environmental matters in the area.

The committees provided for in these Memoranda are:

• The Coordination Committee of the Memorandum on citizens' rights.

• The Joint Coordination Committee of the Memorandum on Cooperation in police and customs matters.

• The Technical and Coordination Committee of the Memorandum on cooperation in environmental matters.

On the Spanish side, the meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee of the Memorandum on Cooperation in police and customs matters was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, from the Tax Agency and from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as from the Government Delegation in Andalusia. At the TCC, the Spanish delegation was made up of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, and from the Regional Government of Andalusia together with the President of the Association of Municipalities of Campo de Gibraltar. On the British side, representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and from the authorities of Gibraltar attended.

Non official translation