The limits of EU border and immigration policy in Gibraltar: effects on the legal situation of Moroccan workers

• Author: Sara Iglesias Sánchez
• Position: Court of Justice of the EU, Research and Documentation Direction. The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author. This research was carried out in Gibraltar and La Línea in March 2013, in the framework of the Research Project I+D 'Cuestiones territoriales y cooperación transfronteriza en el Área del Estrecho',...
• Pages: 135-149

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 2, janvier-décembre 2014, pp. 135-149

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_ int.2014.i2.08 135

THE LIMITS OF EU BORDER AND IMMIGRATION POLICY IN

GIBRALTAR: EFFECTS ON THE LEGAL SITUATION OF

MOROCCAN WORKERS

SARA IGLESIAS SÁNCHEZ1

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE LEGAL BACKGROUND: THE ISSUE OF

GIBRALTAR – II. GIBRALTAR IN THE EU AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY

AND JUSTICE – III. A SCHENGEN BORDER BETWEEN GIBRALTAR AND

SPAIN ? – IV. MOROCCAN IMMIGRATION TO GIBRALTAR – V. CONCLUDING

REMARKS

ABSTRACT: In the European Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) is affected by

multiple asymmetries arising from the need for f‌l exibility in the integration strategy with respect

to those matters connected with the hard core of State sovereignty. This “variable geometry” has

a signif‌i cant impact on the development of a coherent status for third country nationals through a

genuine Common Immigration Policy. The particular situation of Gibraltar is very illustrative in

this respect, because here, the specif‌i cities of its status both in relation to EU law and international

law converge with a differentiated approach to the Schengen acquis, and with an opt-out to the

Common Migration Policy.

This article discusses some of the disruptions caused by variable integration in the AFSJ, in

light of the particular example of the situation of Moroccan workers in Gibraltar, in relation to which

this amalgam of legal specif‌i cities has resulted in a situation of reduced mobility and isolation from

some positive legal developments in the f‌i eld of the Common Migration Policy.

KEYWORDS : Area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) ; Gibraltar ; Moroccan workers ;

migrant workers; European migration policy; opt-out; Schengen acquis.

LOS LÍMITES DE LA POLÍTICA EUROPEA DE INMIGRACIÓN Y FRONTERAS

DE LA UE EN GIBRALTAR: EFECTOS EN LA SITUACIÓN JURÍDICA DE LOS

TRABAJADORES MARROQUÍES

RESUMEN: El Espacio de libertad, seguridad y justicia (ELSJ) está afectado por múltiples

disimetrías que emanan de la necesidad de f‌l exibilidad en la estrategia de integración con respecto

a aquellas materias vinculadas al núcleo duro de la soberanía estatal. Esta situación de geometría

variable tiene un impacto muy relevante en la elaboración de una aproximación coherente al estatuto

de los nacionales de terceros estados a través de una auténtica política de inmigración común. Las

particularidades de la situación de Gibraltar son muy ilustrativas a este respecto, ya que aquí, las

especif‌i cidades de su estatuto tanto en relación con el derecho de la UE como con el derecho

internacional convergen con una aproximación diferenciada al acervo de Schengen y con un opting-

1 Court of Justice of the EU, Research and Documentation Direction. The opinions expressed in

this document are the sole responsibility of the author. This research was carried out in Gibraltar and

La Línea in March 2013, in the framework of the Research Project I+D “Cuestiones territoriales y

cooperación transfronteriza en el Área del Estrecho”, DER2012-34577 (2012-2015).